A teacher who kissed a 15-year-old pupil has escaped jail.

But David Anderson's career is in ruins after a court heard he will never work with children again.

Anderson, 42, had been warned he faced being sent to prison for indecently assaulting the girl by kissing her.

The father-of-three, who is married to a doctor, had denied the offence but was found guilty at his trial in October.

He was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years when he appeared at Hove Crown Court to be sentenced yesterday.

He kissed the girl after helping her with coursework she had lost at a Sussex school last year.

Anderson, of Rosemary Gardens, Burwash, near Heathfield, told her he fancied her and sent her text messages up to four times a night.

In one text he told her: "I am glad you can still taste me on your lips. I loved kissing you. Cannot wait until we meet again."

The girl replied: "I want to kiss you all the time. I could kiss you for days."

Anderson texted back: "I keep imagining being with you. It keeps me awake and keeps me daydreaming."

He was arrested after the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, confided in another teacher and a friend when she thought the relationship had gone too far.

The teenager, who gave evidence by video link, said she was shocked when Anderson kissed her.

She said: "He just bent forward and kissed me. The kiss lasted a second or two. I said it was really risky and he said he knew. He kept saying not to tell anyone or he could lose his job."

The girl said she had been to see Anderson twice a day and other students had started rumours they were going out.

She said: "There was no relationship, only a friendship.

"I reported it because it was wrong. I decided right after he kissed me."

During the trial he claimed it was the girl who had kissed him but he had not responded.

The court heard Anderson, now unemployed, had also been warned about sending texts to another girl.

Denis Bradley, defending, said: "He is a man who is getting on for his middle years and who is never ever going to be employed again in the future as a teacher.

"He has three young children and a wife who is in regular work providing for their family. There is no risk at all that he will ever be employed in teaching. Children are never going to be at risk again.

"The facts of this case are now so notoriously well known he would be a fool if he were ever to consider teaching children again. Here is a man who has learnt his lesson. One hopes the young girl concerned has suffered no lasting harm."

In addition to the suspended sentence Anderson was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for ten years and was banned from working with children indefinitely.

He was also ordered to pay up to £3,000 towards prosecution and defence costs.

Judge Guy Anthony, sentencing him, said: "It is not unusual, as I said at your trial, to find a man who is attracted to young girls coming up to the age of 16.

"However, people in your position of trust simply have to control any such attractions you may feel.

"This was a vulnerable young girl needing extra care and attention.

"Clearly, from the text messages you were sending, you were embarking on a relationship with her that was completely inappropriate for someone who was supposed to be her teacher.

"The assault, a brief peck on the lips, is about as minor an indecent assault as it could possibly be.

"What makes this a serious case was that she was a young girl in your care.

"This was an enormous breach of trust, even if she did have some sort of crush on you."

At a previous hearing Anderson's wife, Dr Fiona Anderson, a GP, told the court she was standing by her husband.

Dr Anderson, a Sunday school teacher, said the couple, who have been together for 22 years, had a strong marriage despite his conviction.