A married teaching assistant seduced a pupil more than 40 years her junior, a court has heard.

Grandmother Elaine McKay, 57, is accused of starting a sexual relationship with the 15-year-old boy who she was helping to teach at school.

She is also alleged to have incited the teenager, who cannot be named, to engage in sexual activity and to have shown him pornography.

Charged: Elaine McKay, 57, is accused of entering into a sexual relationship with the teenager, who she met while working at school

Suspended: Teaching assistant Elaine McKay appeared before Colchester Magistrates¿ Court on Tuesday accused of having sex with the minor

McKay faces three charges, the first of which is having sex with a boy aged 15, not reasonably believing he was 16 or over

The offences are said to have taken place between June 1 last year and May 13. McKay, from Clacton, Essex – who has been suspended from her job – spoke only to confirm her name and address at a hearing before Colchester magistrates. She did not enter any pleas and the case was sent to Chelmsford Crown Court to be heard early next year.

McKay, who has two daughters aged 26 and 29 and is understood to have two grandchildren, lives with her third husband in a £150,000 semi-detached home. She declined to comment last night.

Neighbours in the quiet cul-de-sac were unaware of the allegations she is facing.

One, who asked not to be named, said: ‘She is a lovely lady and this is a real surprise to me. She has not mentioned anything to people round here about the court case.’

McKay is charged with having sex with a boy aged 15, causing or inciting a boy to engage in sexual activity, and causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

Clacton Coastal Academy: McKay was a teaching assistant at the school

She was granted bail until her next appearance on January 13, on condition that she does not have any contact with the alleged victim.

McKay was a teaching assistant at 1,700-pupil Clacton Coastal Academy where she had worked for five years.

Last night a spokesman for Academies Enterprise Trust, the academy sponsor, said: ‘We can confirm that a 57-year-old learning support assistant was suspended in May 2013 from Clacton Coastal Academy when allegations were first made known to the school of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

‘Since then the school has been working in close co-operation with Essex Police and Essex Social Services in support of their investigations. The suspension is a neutral act to enable fair and thorough investigations to be carried out by both departments and by the school.

‘Elaine McKay was first employed from September 2008 at Colbayns School which became Clacton Coastal Academy in September 2009. While the matter is before the courts we are unable to comment further.’

In court: The teaching assistant spoke only to confirm her name and address when she appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court

Court date: McKay, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, above, did not enter pleas to any of the three charges and the case was sent to Chelmsford Crown Court to be heard next year

Read more: Daily Mail