Wife of married teacher who ran to France with schoolgirl, 15, flees witness box in tears as she described their last meal together

The wife of teacher Jeremy Forrest fled a court in tears today as she described their last meal together the night before he left for France with his schoolgirl lover.
Emily Forrest, 32, gestured at her estranged husband sitting a few yards away in the witness box and said 'it's really distracting' before breaking down and being escorted from the witness box.
Judge Michael Lawson QC called for a break in the trial at Lewes Crown Court as she stood with her back to the court weeping.

Jeremy and Emily Forrest together before he allegedly ran off to France with a pupil

Parent: Julie Forrest, the mother of married teacher Jeremy Forrest outside Lewes Crown Court this morning, where her son (right) faces an abduction charge

It was the first time Mrs Forrest had seen her husband since he allegedly absconded to France with his 15-year-old pupil last September and spent eight days on the run.
When Mrs Forrest returned to the court half an hour later she continued to give evidence behind a red curtain hidden from her husband's gaze.
She told the court how she and her husband of just over a year had returned to the marital home in Ringmer, East Sussex, after their last meal together in Lewes town centre on September 19.
She said: 'I went to bed and Jeremy kind of tucked me in. He told me that he loved me.'
'When I left in the morning I was in quite a good mood because Jeremy told me he loved me so I was like pestering him in bed, just being silly, just singing.'
She said her mood later turned to anger when 30-year-old Forrest texted her to say that he would not be home that evening and that he would miss a meal with her family that had been planned for some time.

At court: The stepmother of the 15-year-old schoolgirl who eloped to France with married teacher Jeremy Forrest arrives at Lewes Crown Court today

But they later tried to call each other, and after missing each others' calls,  Forrest sent her a message saying "Don't worry I'll call you tomorrow. I love you".
The text is believed to have been sent minutes after Forrest boarded the cross channel ferry with the schoolgirl, the court has previously heard.
Mrs Forrest also told how just a week before her husband vanished they had a 'really good evening' when they went to a concert together in Tunbridge Wells.
She said: 'He said that I looked young. He said I looked 21. He was suggesting that was a good thing.'
Mrs Forrest told the court their marriage had been in difficulty at the beginning of 2012 and the couple had only had sex once between last May and his disappearance.
She said: 'He was staying out a lot more, drinking a lot of alcohol, coming back in the morning, not telling me where he was. It was hard.'
She said he started using his Twitter account and she noticed that he was sending messages to pupils from his school.
Despite the problems, Forrest raised the subject of having children together during the 2012 summer holidays, she told the court.
She said 'Jeremy brought it up quite a lot – 'When are we going to have kids? And do you want kids?'
'I just thought it was a bit weird because the relationship wasn't great so I thought it was strange to bring it up.'
The court has heard that Forrest started having sex with the schoolgirl around the start of June 2012. Earlier, the mother of the schoolgirl told how she feared the worst after her daughter vanished last September.

Trembling and clasping her hands as she gave evidence, she said: 'I thought she was dead. And I did ask the police that as well.'

The schoolgirl's mother told Lewes Crown Court she 'went mad' at her daughter when she confronted her about Forrest

The girl's mother also told how Forrest phoned her in July, a few weeks before he allegedly abducted the schoolgirl, to quash rumours that he was involved with her daughter.
She said: 'I had never spoken to him before. He said that there had been rumours at school that him and the girl had been having a relationship and he was seriously concerned for his career.
'He said he wanted to nip it all in the bud before the school started again in September. He said she was being a bit of a pain. He said that she was hanging around him
'He said he could not allow this to ruin his career. I felt like I was coaching and consoling him because he was becoming upset.'
He added: 'The problem with the rumours is that she was not denying them. She was allowing people to talk. I offered my apologies for my daughter's behaviour.  
'He kept going over and over again about his career. He said he did not want it to get worse. His voice was very trembly. I apologised for my daughter's behaviour.
'I said 'leave it me. I will sort it.' As far as I was concerned I would take full responsibility.'
She told the court how she later confronted her daughter over the Forrest's claims.
She said: 'I went mad at her. I was mortified my daughter could put someone in this position. I am a professional person myself. I was horrified and ashamed. Clearly I was upset and I had a go at her.
'She said it was not true. She was crying and broke down. I said if there's nothing in this you must tell people it's not true.'
The mother told the court how on the morning of her daughter's disappearance she was up unusually early and was that she left she was 'jumping around like a jellybean.'
The teenager returned after school to pick up her bag for an agreed sleepover with a friend, her mother added.
'She came over to me, jumped all over me. She would do that anyway. This particular time she grabbed me and said "mum I love you".
'She grabbed me again, she looked me in the eye and said "I love you". I said "I love you too." She gave me a kiss on my face and she left.'
Hours later the schoolgirl and Forrest took an overnight ferry from Dover to Calais, the court has heard. Forrest denies one count of child abduction.
The case continues.

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