Teacher Richard Gledhill has been warned to expect a prison term after pleading guilty to abducting young boys and giving them drugs.

The 48-year-old admitted four charges of supplying cannabis and three of child abduction when he appeared before a judge at Swindon Crown Court.

Gledhill, who now lives in Bristol, was working as a supply teacher in Calne when the offences took place last year.

The teacher lodged in a room at the King George pub on New Road in the town for seven months while he was working at a local school.

At a brief hearing he pleaded guilty to abducting two of the boys between October 1 and November 27 last year and the third on May 1 last year.

He also admitted supplying cannabis to each of the first two boys on two occasions during between January 1 and November 27 last year.

All three of the boys were under 16 at the time of the offences and cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Gledhill, now of Kingswood, Bristol, also pleaded not guilty to two counts of offering to supply cannabis.

Robin Shellard, defending, said "It is quite clear that last year he had an escalating alcohol problem.

"Since the arrest for his offences he has been seeing various alcohol related agencies. I want to put before the court the work he has done with them.

"He is 48 and has been in the teaching profession for many years and he is a man of previous good character.

"There are many people who would like to speak for him and would like to write letters to the court.

"Can I also say that I also accept that the only outcome is custody. That is fully accepted by Mr Gledhill."

Recorder Ian Lawrie told Gledhill "I accede to the application made by your counsel that the matter be adjourned so that assorted documentation can be acquired and presented on your behalf for sentence.

"I also order that a pre-sentence report be prepared and in the meantime I will admit you to bail on the same terms, that you live at the Bristol address, do not contact children under 17 apart from with supervision and not come to Wiltshire but to come to court.

"You have pleaded guilty to very serious offences for which the inevitable consequence is going to be custody."

Necessary checks were made before appointment

Richard Gledhill was working as a supply teacher at the school, and lodging in a room at the King George pub, in New Road, when the offences took place.

Pub manager Neil Stock said Gledhill stayed at the pub for six months, but he was astonished when his crimes were revealed.

He said that the first he knew about Gledhill's crimes was when the police arrived to arrest the disgraced teacher.

But he added that he warned the teacher several times about his friendships with boys.

"I had no idea what he was doing," he said. "But what he's done is just despicable.

"He was just a guy who rented a room, but if he's a school teacher you tend to think he's going to be alright.

"He didn't ever come across as the kind of bloke who would do that sort of thing. You just never know until the truth comes out."

Gledhill, who now lives in Kingswood, in Bristol, refused to comment.

In a statement the chairman of John Bentley School's governors Stephen Cave, said: "The school has noted the outcome of the recent court proceedings and is glad that the matter is now close to resolution.

"All necessary checks in accordance with usual procedures were made by the school prior to employing Mr Gledhill.

"It was due to the school's vigilance, on behalf of its students that his conduct was brought to light, and thereafter the matter was dealt with swiftly through the usual channels in association with the police and other agencies.

"Throughout the matter the school's paramount concern, as it has always been, has been the wellbeing of its students."

PC Lee Armit, from Wiltshire's child protection unit, said: "He's a very nave man and he's abused that position of trust and consequently let down the teaching profession.

"Most teachers work very hard to help children learn, but people who behave like that give teachers a bad name.

"In some ways I would give some consideration to the fact that he pleaded guilty rather than force children to have to go and give evidence at court. But I would question his motives in befriending children in the fashion he has done."