A BARRY lecturer has been struck off for seducing a 16-year-old pupil.

Lee Lewis, 33, was struck off the teaching register after allegations amounting to a 'gross abuse of trust' were found proved against him.

An Education Workforce Council committee ruled on Tuesday that he cannot reapply to teach for five years.

The girl named as Student A said she was "flattered" by the attention from Lewis.

She said he kissed her on rock climbing expedition when Lewis led her into a cave.

The girl said it began a two-year sexual relationship. The hearing in Cardiff was told he asked her to keep their relationship secret at first, saying he would lose his job.

Student A said they would often spend the night at his home in Barry before dropping her off at college the next day.

But the girl said Lewis become "emotionally abusive" around February last year - threatening to expose the relationship to her mother after accusing her of not spending enough time with him.

She eventually told Lewis it was over - but he began bombarding her with apologies and even threatened to kill himself if she left him.

In June she finally plucked up the courage to tell staff about the relationship and Lewis was reported to education officials.

She said: "I did not want to lie to protect him. I want to move on and to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else."

Her tutor, Joanna Hughes, told the hearing how the "bubbly and cheerful girl" became "fragile and vulnerable" during the course of the relationship, during which time she was regularly absent from college.

Lewis didn't turn up at his misconduct hearing where he was found guilty of seven counts of misconduct.

Lay council member Peter Owen said the panel believed Student A gave a "truthful" and "clear" account of their relationship.

He said the discovery of flirty messages and pictures were enough to prove the pair were engaged in a sexual relationship back in 2013.

Lewis admitted during his college's investigation to having sex with the girl, but only after she turned 18 and had left education.

Mr Owen said: "The committee's impression of her based on the account she gave in evidence was that she gave a truthful account. The committee was able to test her evidence and she was clear and concise.

"Her account was supported by photos of them together on social media.

"His behaviour falls significantly short of what is expected from a person in his position of power.

"The case involved a gross abuse of trust, where (Lewis) used his position to start a sexual relationship with Student A that continued for a protracted period of time. We cannot be satisfied there is no risk of repetition."