A TEACHER'S career has been left in ruins after he was found guilty of inciting two former pupils to behave in a sexual way on a webcam.

A jury at Basildon Crown Court found Michael Harding, of Chafford Hundred, guilty of four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The 35-year-old admitted his early-morning online exchange with two 12-year-old girls was highly inappropriate, but remained adamant it was never sexually motivated and there was nothing sinister in it.

The court heard that prior to his arrest he was a popular teacher who was well respected by colleagues and parents in the community. He had no previous convictions.

He arrived in the UK from New Zealand in December 2001 and qualified as a teacher before working in two Thurrock primary schools.

He described his teaching style with the pupils as one of "mutual respect".

Harding told the court he had stayed in contact with many former pupils through the Facebook website because he was interested in how they were progressing, and to give them moral support.

But in the early hours of May 17 last year he played a game of truth or dare via webcam with two former pupils which saw him arrested a few days later.

Harding sat with his laptop in the dining room of his flat, while the girls had a sleepover at one of their homes.

He initially asked them to do silly things like drink a glass of water upside down, while he carried out a silly dance in front of the camera to complete his dare.

But he also encouraged the friends to kiss each other on the cheek and belly dance, and asked them if they'd ever fancied any of their teachers.

He enquired about boyfriends, and told them that if they kissed it did not make them lesbians.

He also told them he could never teach in a secondary school because he would find the older girls there too distracting.

But it was when he suggested they leave the room, remove their underwear, and then get dressed again before re-entering the room, that they cut off the connection.

When Harding was arrested he told police he had been "foolish" after forgetting the girls' ages, and added: "Looking back I can see I lacked judgement, but it was late and I was tired."

He told jurors he had spent the past 14 months regretting his actions, but added: "I know what happened was highly inappropriate and unprofessional, but I also know what was in my mind and it was not sexual."

Stephanie Farrimond, prosecuting, said that in light of the guilty verdict she would be applying for a sexual offences prevention order, which could see Harding banned from working with children.

Judge John Lodge bailed Harding to return to the court in September for sentencing and warned him jail was "quite likely".

Harding was told to sign on the sex offenders' register before leaving court.