A former teacher at a Harpenden primary school has been convicted of child abuse after appearing at Cambridge Crown Court last week.

Michael Smee, 38, who formerly taught PE at Wood End School in Yeomans Avenue, faced six charges relating to sexual abuse of a child at Stevenage. He pleaded not guilty to two of them but was convicted by the court.

Smee, who lives in Stevenage, will be sentenced on March 3.

Parents and carers of children at Wood End have been notified of the court ruling but no more information has been given out about the case by the school because it could lead to the victim or the victim’s family being identified.

But the school has stressed that its systems and procedures relating to safeguarding children have been judged to be both robust and fully compliant.

Wood End head Richard Boulton declined to make any further comment this week saying: “It would be inappropriate for the school to comment while court proceedings are in process.”