A 48-year-old karate instructor who seduced a “vulnerable” 13-year-old Wyre Forest girl pupil and had regular sex with her was jailed for eight years today.

Jaspal Riat's “despicable” behaviour towards Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre student Dana Baker drove her to attempt suicide and she did kill herself when she was 16, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

Riat, 48, of Denewood Avenue, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, had denied two charges of raping the schoolgirl, one charge of sexual assault and eight of sexual activity with a child. The charges were dated between February, 2008 and May, 2009.

He was cleared of the rape allegations and of the final charge of sexual activity with a child but convicted by a jury of the eight other charges on majority verdicts of 10-2.

The court heard that towards the end of their relationship Riat lost interest in her, which made her suicidal because, by then, she believed she loved him.

She told police after taking an overdose in May, 2009 that she did it because she felt she had nothing to live for. She said she had told Riat what she was planning to kill herself “but he never once tried to stop me”.

In fact, she said, Riat told her "Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me."

Jailing Riat, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said "You seduced Dana when she was only 13 years of age, not quite 14, probably commencing in July/August, 2008.

"She was a particularly vulnerable child from a particularly vulnerable family. She was academically bright and excellent at karate.

"However, she was deeply lonely and for reasons I need not go into she had a very unhappy relationship with her mother and father, who were, themselves, vulnerable.

"You exploited that. I have no doubt at all that you identified her as a vulnerable child and exploited your position of trust so you could satisfy your own sexual proclivities.

"It went on until at least the spring of 2009. For several months you used her in a thoroughly selfish and, indeed, despicable manner.

"I have no doubt at all that your behaviour was at least partially responsible for her attempted suicide.

"I am quite satisfied that your behaviour just before the time of her attempted suicide was dishonourable and callous.

"She desperately needed your support and you abandoned her, apparently unconcerned whether she took her life or not.

"There is no direct link between her eventual suicide and your activities.

"She was a virgin when you seduced her. Nine months later she had been introduced to almost every form of sexual activity by yourself."

Dana's parents, Trevor and Patricia Baker, who had been in court for most of the trial, said afterwards that they could now start to grieve properly for their daughter, who hanged herself in March this year.

"I just hope that man rots in hell," said her wheelchair-bound mother, "He deserves far worse than he has got.

"Ever since Dana died we have been accused by people of murdering our daughter or of sexually abusing her. I hope now they can see the truth.

"It's been terrible having to sit there and listen to everything he did to Dana. Any parent can understand how we have felt.

"We just want to be left alone now to get on with grieving for our daughter. She was our only child, we loved her and she has been taken from us. We haven't been able to grieve for her till now because of this case."

Defence counsel David Mason QC told the court Riat was of previous good character and had spent most of his working life as a karate instructor.

It was unlikely he would ever be able to do the same kind of work again because he would be banned from working with children for the rest of his life, said Mr Mason.

"His business is in ruins,” he said, "He has the love and support of a very large family, some of whom have been here throughout the trial. They are all devastated by what has happened."

As well as the eight-year jail term, Riat was ordered to sign the sex offender register for the rest of his life and was also banned for life from working with children.

The judge today lifted a restriction on naming Dana Baker.