A woman teacher has admitted grooming a 15-year-old boy for sex.

Anne Poli-Page, 47, rang his school four times, pretending to be his mother calling to say he was ill so she could spend the day with him.

The single mum-of-three also gave the boy alcohol and gifts, including a tennis racquet. She also paid his mobile phone bill.

Yesterday, the IT tutor from South Leicestershire College, appeared at the city's Crown Court to admit several charges.

The boy, who attends a different school, was befriended by Poli-Page after meeting her socially.

Her career is now in ruins and she was told she will have to enrol on a sex offender register.

Poli-Page was suspended from her teaching post after the offences came to light.

She had previously been warned about inappropriate behaviour with a male student, the court was told.

Poli-Page, of Latimer Close, Blaby, pleaded guilty to meeting a child following sexual grooming, having met and communicated with the 15-year-old on at least two occasions between February and July last year.

On one occasion, she took her top off in front of him and another time she patted his knee.

She told him she could not wait until he was 16 and that he was "bad" for her hormones.

Poli-Page also admitted abduction of a child, between March 11 and 19 last year.

She further pleaded guilty to harassment of the boy, with text messages and phone calls, between June 4 and July 1 last year.

She pleaded not guilty to sexual assault – which was accepted by the prosecution and will not be proceeded with.

The offences came to light when the boy told a tutor at his school.

Poli-Page was released on bail with conditions, including not to contact the boy and to co-operate with the preparation of a pre-sentence report. She is due to be sentenced on April 7.