Wiltshire teacher sexually abused pupils at multiple schools

A teacher has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy after previously admitting offences against two teenage girls.

Former PE teacher Bronwen James, 30, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, admitted nine sexual offences against two teenage girls - one a pupil at Bitterne Park School in Southampton and the other at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham.

She was convicted earlier at Winchester Crown Court of three counts of sexual activity with a 16-year-old boy who also attended Bitterne Park School.

The jury found James guilty of the three counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust by a majority of 11 to one and acquitted her of a fourth charge.

Due to legal restrictions covering the trial, media had been unable to report James' guilty pleas against two girls - which she made in January - and the jury were not told about them until after they had passed their verdict.

James showed no emotion as the verdict was read out and stood looking at the floor as the jury left the courtroom.

She was told by the judge she must surrender her passport and would be monitored with an electronic tag until Monday, when she will be taken to prison ahead of her sentencing.

During the five-day trial, prosecutors said James had entered into a "flirty" relationship with the pupil and they had communicated via Snapchat before they had sex at her house "three or four" times.

The jury also heard that James told the boy she loved him and wanted him to move away with her.

Giving evidence in court, the teenager said: "I thought she cared about me."

"I thought this was great, any teenage boy's dream, but [now] I think it was wrong. At the time I wasn't thinking that."

The nine offences against two teenage girls include six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child and one count of making indecent images of a child.

"Bronwen James was trusted to educate and protect children - instead, she used that trust to groom and sexually abuse three students," said senior crown prosecutor Bethany Adams.

"James manipulated her victims with calculated precision, exploiting her position of authority to isolate them and normalise the abuse," she added.

"This was not a lapse in judgement; it was a sustained pattern of predatory behaviour against children in her care."

A spokesperson from the NSPCC said James had "exploited" a "position of trust" where she was supposed to "support, protect and educate those in her professional care".

"When someone in authority abuses a trusted relationship, young people can find it particularly difficult to recognise what is happening or to speak out about it, and it can have a profound and lasting impact on their wellbeing," they added.

A spokesperson from Hardenhuish School said they "commend" the courage of the young people who came forward to give evidence in the case.

"The safety and wellbeing of our pupils is, and always will be, our highest priority," they said.

They added that safeguarding arrangements are regularly reviewed and recruitment processes are in line with government guidance.

"We continue to work closely with Wiltshire Council and other safeguarding partners to ensure that the highest standards of safeguarding are maintained across the school."

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