Ballet teacher confesses to adbuction of youth, 15

A SCOTTISH ballet teacher who had been accused of having sex with a 15-year-old boy has confessed to abducting the youngster.

Sarah Pirie, 27, admitted taking the youth away from his legal guardians on 22 May last year, Preston Crown Court heard.

Pirie had originally also been charged with five counts of sexual activity with the same boy between March and June of last year.

Pirie, who has choreographed stage shows across Britain and has appeared in TV soap operas Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road, had pleaded not guilty to all charges and was due to undergo a three-week trial starting yesterday.

But after discussions between prosecution and defence barristers, only the single charge of child abduction was put to the defendant, to which she pleaded guilty.

The five charges of sexual activity with the boy were not put to the defendant and she will not now face prosecution on those counts.

The court heard the prosecution's case depended on the "quality and credibility" of the youngster's evidence and it would be "inappropriate to maintain the allegations in respect of the other counts".

Michael Lavery, prosecuting, added: "In this case the Crown came to the view that there is no realistic prospect of a conviction."

No more details were given in open court and the circumstances relating to the child abduction charge were not explained.

All the charges related to a time when Pirie, who now lives in Marner, Luxembourg, worked as a ballet teacher and choreographer in the north-west of England.

Pirie, who does not have any previous convictions, was given bail until sentencing on 7 January on condition she does not approach the boy again and co-operates with probation for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Judge Michael Byrne told the defendant: "You should understand this, because it is most important, the fact that I'm ordering a pre-sentence report in no way indicates the nature of the final sentence. All options will be available to me when I deal with this."

Pirie, whose father is a wealthy banker in Luxembourg, trained at the Hammond School in Chester, before launching her career as a dancer and choreographer.

Originally from Leuchars, Fife, Pirie has starred in and choreographed various musicals and pantomimes across the UK.