Bronwen James, 30, was convicted of three counts of sexual activity involving the schoolboy at Bitterne Park School in Southampton following a trial at Winchester Crown Court
A “flirty” PE teacher who “craved attention” and “exploited her position” at a Hampshire school has been found guilty of having sex with a 16-year-old pupil in her bedroom.
Bronwen James, 30, was convicted of three counts of sexual activity involving the schoolboy at Bitterne Park School in Southampton following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.
Jurors also found James not guilty on one count of sexual activity with the student following 12 hours of deliberations. James showed no emotion and could be seen staring down at the floor as the verdicts were delivered. The trial heard the former teacher flirted with the pupil in class before they began exchanging Snapchat messages and arranged for her to drive him to Weston Shore in Southampton, where they kissed in her car.
This then escalated to the pair going to the defendant’s home where they cuddled while watching Wimbledon on the television before going to her bedroom where they had sex.
Edward Culver, prosecuting, told the trial the school was made aware of the incident after another pupil showed a teacher some text messages apparently sent between the defendant and the complainant.
He said: “They suggested a sexually-charged relationship, he was named as ‘number 8’ in the messages as a cover, him being the eighth man she had slept with. Her photo was visible on the phone screen.” Mr Culver stated: “She acted not only in an unprofessional and overfamiliar way, but failed to recognise any boundaries, exploiting her position to engage in sexual activity with one of her young students.”
In a police interview presented to the court, the boy claimed he had been “groomed” by the defendant. He added: “I thought this was great, any teenage boy’s dream, but I think it was wrong, at the time I wasn’t thinking that.”
The boy further revealed that during class, James, who he described as “quite attractive”, would “slip him vapes” in his coursework and also expressed she liked him to address her as “Miss” when they were alone together.
He said: “I always called her ‘Miss’, I don’t know why, I think it was her little fantasy or something.”
Wiltshire Police previously confirmed James, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, taught PE at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham and Bitterne Park School in Southampton.
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