A Manx teacher has admitted performing sex acts online to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

This morning 31-year-old James Barefield appeared at Southwark Crown Court and pleaded guilty to two offences of attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He was Head of English at Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel at the time the offences took place.

They relate to an online interaction with a teenage girl and involved indecent suggestions and sexual acts performed over a webcam.

The "girl" was in fact a covert police officer from the Metropolitan Police.

Detective Inspector Phil Shimmin of the Isle of Man Constabulary's Public Protection Unit says: 'The facts of the case have demonstrated Mr Barefield has an unhealthy sexual interest in young girls, which is completely incompatible with his profession.'

DI Shimmin added the conviction would prevent Barefield from teaching in the future but there was no evidence to suggest he had acted inappropriately to any of the pupils at the school.

Sentencing has been adjourned until January 20th.

Barefield has been bailed until then with a number of conditions, one being he does not return to the Isle of Man.

Meanwhile QEII has issued the following statement, read by John Moss: