A former teacher and his girlfriend who streamed depraved sex sessions with an underage girl live on the internet have been cleared of pornography thanks to a legal loophole. William Hanna, 65, and Dianne Whitehouse, 59, were previously convicted of causing or inciting involvement in child pornography for their offences with a 'damaged' 15-year-old girl at a Birmingham hotel. Both were also convicted, and jailed, for sexual activity with the vulnerable teenager. Cleared of charge: William Hanna, 65, and Dianne Whitehouse, 59, had their convictions of causing or inciting involvement in child pornography overturned as their live streaming of sex sessions was not permanent . But after the pornography ruling was quashed by the Court of Appeal, a retrial at Birmingham Crown Court ended with a jury being directed to return not guilty verdicts. The ruling came after it was judged the live streaming of the pair's sex sessions with their victim did not fit the legal definition of pornography, which must be recorded in a permanent form. Directing the jury to clear the pair, Judge Richard Bond said: 'These defendants have been convicted of sex offences. 'In regards to these charges it is a legal technicality we are dealing with it is important if someone is going to be convicted there are convicted on what the law states. 'The law says this offence can only be committed if data being streamed is recorded. There was no recording in this case, and if there was no recording then the offence is not made out.' Also took part: Ian McGlasson, 49, of Reading, was jailed for six years for involving the same victim in bondage sessions . Former Frankley Community School teacher Hanna, previously of Acocks Green, Birmingham, was jailed for seven years in 2013 after being convicted of three charges of sexual activity with a child. Girlfriend Whitehouse was jailed for six years after being convicted of two charges of the same offence. Their trial heard how they met their victim online before 'degrading' her in sessions at the Etap Hotel, off Bristol Road, Birmingham which were streamed live on the internet. In one session a man dressed in a catsuit entered the room and had sex with the teen. Jailing the pair in 2013, Judge Patrick Thomas QC said Hanna and Whitehouse had taken advantage of an 'intensely troubled and damaged child' and 'relished' her young age. He told them: 'You treated her not as a damaged child who needed protection, but as somebody who could be simply used as you wished. 'You involved her in sexual activity which must have had the effect of damaging her even further.' Of the live streaming, the judge said: 'In addition to the degradation of that child, she knows an unknown number of people have had the opportunity to view that degradation.' A third man, Ian McGlasson, 49, of Reading, was jailed for six years for involving the same victim in bondage sessions. He admitted six charges of sexual activity with a child, two of meeting a child following grooming and possessing and taking indecent images. Loophole: After the pornography ruling was quashed by the Court of Appeal, a retrial at Birmingham Crown Court (above) ended with a jury being directed to return not guilty verdicts .
William Hanna and Dianne Whitehouse jailed for sexual activity with girl, 15 . Also convicted of inciting child porn for streaming live hotel sex sessions . But couple, of Birmingham, now cleared of charge thanks to legal loophole . Child porn must be recorded in permanent form to fit its legal definition .