Teacher 'abused trust' by having sex with pupil

A "flirty" PE teacher "abused her position of trust" by having sex with a 16-year-old student at her home, a court has heard.

Bronwen James, 30, of Chippenham in Wiltshire, is accused of four charges of sexual activity with a boy at Bitterne Park School in Southampton, Hampshire.

At Winchester Crown Court earlier, Edward Culver, prosecuting, told the jury how James allegedly told the boy she loved him and wanted him to move away with her.

In a prepared statement she gave to police, James claimed the boy had been "put up to make up these allegations against her by another student". She denies all charges.

The jury heard the complainant told police that James would allow pupils to use their phones during lessons.

After she accepted his request to add her on Snapchat, they exchanged "flirtatious" messages.

This led to her driving him to Weston Shore, Southampton, where they parked and kissed in her car, Culver said.

Following this, it is alleged that James took the student to her house where they had sex, which happened on three or four occasions.

"The tennis was on at Wimbledon. They began watching TV before kissing and touching each other," Culver said in his opening statement.

"She took her clothes off, and then he took his clothes off."

Culver said that the pair allegedly performed sex acts on each other before having unprotected sex.

He added that the boy "felt overwhelmed and excited at the time, this schoolboy".

"They messaged daily and Ms James told [the boy] she cared about him, they even discussed moving in together," Culver said.

"Ms James told him she loved him and wanted to move away with him."

The prosecution said the school was made aware of the incidents in June 2022 after another student showed a teacher text messages apparently sent between the defendant and the complainant.

"They suggested a sexually charged relationship," Culver said.

"He was named as 'number eight' in the messages as a cover, him being the eighth man she had slept with. Her photo was visible on the phone screen."

He added the jury would be shown photographs of the boy at the defendant's home with her dog. They showed features of the property that matched photos on a subsequent Rightmove listing.

Culver said that James did not answer questions in a police interview and instead provided a prepared statement in which she said the boy had never been to her house, and denied ever having a sexual relationship with him.

The trial continues.

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