A school teacher has been found guilty of having sex with two schoolboys after falling pregnant with one whilst on bail.
Rebecca Joynes, 30, was convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual activity with another child, by a jury at Manchester Crown Court today.
The jury was told she was suspended from her role as a teacher for having sex with one boy but continued to have sex with another while she was on bail.
Ms. Joynes became pregnant by the second boy she had sex with while he was underage, the court was told. However, Ms. Joynes claimed that no sexual activity had taken place.
The court heard she had told the boy she did not think she was able to conceive because she has Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Joynes groomed the first 15-year-old called Boy A, buying him a £345 designer Gucci belt before they had sex in her flat in Salford Quays. She also sent explicit pictures in her underwear and forensic officers found evidence of sexual activity in her bed.
When allegations emerged, the teacher was suspended by her school as police investigated the first offence. She was bailed on condition she has no unsupervised contact with anyone aged under 18.
However, police then discovered she had been in a long-term relationship with another of her pupils, referred to as Boy B in court. He too went to her flat when he was 15, and after he turned 16, they struck up a full sexual relationship which saw her become pregnant by him.
Joynes claimed she was in love with the pupil, and the pair later went on to have sex at least 30 times in “numerous different places”.
However, when he went to her flat for “date night” he was presented with pizza, scattered rose petals and an Ann Summers scratch card of sexual activities.
Joynes then gave him a baby grow that said “I love my daddy to the moon and back” to reveal she was pregnant with his baby.
He said Joynes was crying and told him “I don’t know if I can do this on my own”.
The boy also told jurors she tried to end the relationship after believing Joynes was “emotionally abusing” him.
Joynes denied four counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, including two while being a person in a position of trust. The teacher, who has already spent five months on remand, was bailed to be sentenced on July 4.
Jane Wilson, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said:
“Rebecca Joynes is a sexual predator. Joynes was entrusted with the responsibility of teaching and safeguarding children. She abused her position to groom and ultimately sexually exploit schoolboys. Her behaviour has had a lasting impact on them.
“The CPS worked with Greater Manchester Police to build a strong case to put before the jury, including eyewitness testimony, phone evidence showing the messages sent by Joynes and CCTV footage.
“I would like to thank the victims for supporting the prosecution. Joynes will now face the consequences of her actions.”
Institutional abuse
Institutional child sexual abuse is when the abuse has occurred within an organisational setting, for example, at school, a club, or within a religious setting. This particularly occurs when one party is in a position of power, for example, a teacher, religious leader or sports coach.
Some examples of this include the following (however, this list is not exhaustive).
- School staff attacking pupils
- Young people abused in children’s homes
- Football coaches preying on children in their coaching teams
- Youth group leaders singling out children (often on trips away from home)
- Religious staff attacking children
- Doctors or hospital staff
If you have been a victim of institutional abuse you may be entitled to claim compensation for the physical and psychological damages you have suffered.
How to make a claim
Before deciding on whether making a claim is the best option for you, it’s important to seek some initial legal advice about the merits. Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we offer a free assessment and would be happy to discuss this with you and no charge.
If you find a Solicitor who is of the view that your claim does have merits, then it is important to also consider the impact to your health that taking a claim forward may have.
Litigation can be a stressful process and may have an adverse impact on your health. We are not doctors, so we cannot give you medical advice, but are under a duty to advise you that pursuing a claim will be a reminder of the trauma of the abuse whilst the claim is ongoing and this may have an negative impact on your mental health.
Please also note that the only outcome to a successful claim is financial compensation. You may see the litigation as a mechanism for obtaining answers but the majority of cases settle out of Court, which may result in many of your questions remaining unanswered.
You may be advised by your doctors that by revisiting the trauma of the abuse you suffered may set you back in your recovery. The decision to proceed must be your own, in conjunction with your medical advisors.
If you agree to proceed forward with a claim, then our team will support you as best as they can and try and make the process as stressful as possible.
How can Oakwood Solicitors Ltd help?
Oakwood Solicitors Ltd agrees to work on your abuse claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have. If it is preferable to you, we can assign you one of our female advisors to carry out your claim.
Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.
Further reading
Historic abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Carol Cook joined Oakwood Solicitors in May 2017 to lead the Medical Negligence Department.
Carol handles a wide range of clinical, cosmetic and dental negligence claims and has years of experi…
Historic abuse claims FAQ
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or physical assault in the past, it is possible that you might be eligible to seek compensation for the negative impact it has had upon your health.
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Historic sexual abuse claims
If you have been a victim of historical sexual abuse, you may have suffered physically and psychologically for many years. But even if decades have passed since the abuse took place, it is never t…
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