A BALLET teacher is facing prison in the New Year after admitting abducting a 15-year-old male pupil.
Sarah Pirie, 27, who has choreographed stage shows across Britain and has appeared in TV soaps Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road, is accused of sneaking off with the boy.
Yesterday, charges of having sex with the boy, during an alleged three-month affair, were dropped due to lack of evidence by prosecutors at Preston Crown Court. But Scots-born Pirie, formerly of St Annes, Lancashire, has admitted abducting the youngster and could now face jail when she returns to the court in January for sentencing.
Pirie, who is now living in Mamer, Luxembourg, admitted taking the child away from his legal guardians on May 22 last year. She had originally also been charged with five counts of sexual activity with the same boy between March and June of last year.
She pleaded not guilty to all charges and was due to undergo a three-week trial starting yesterday morning.
But after discussions between prosecution and defence barristers, only the single charge of child abduction was put to her and she pleaded guilty.
Prosecutor Michael Lavery added: “In this case the crown came to the view that there is no realistic prospect of a conviction.”
All the charges related to a time when Pirie worked as a ballet teacher and choreographer in the north-west of England.
Pirie, who has no previous convictions, was given bail until sentencing on January 7 on condition she does not approach the youngster again.
Judge Michael Byrne told her: “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. Originally from Leuchars, Fife, she has starred in and choreographed various musicals and pantomimes across the country.