A former PE teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old pupil has told a jury she “wanted to be liked” and found it difficult to say no to people.
Bronwen James, 30, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of four counts of sexual activity with the teenage boy.
James, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, denies all four charges and maintains that she never had sex with the pupil.
The court heard James was working as a PE teacher at Bitterne Park School in Southampton when the alleged offences took place.
Prosecutors allege James and the teenager began communicating on Snapchat before their relationship became sexual.
It is alleged they had sex on three or four occasions. James denies this and has told the jury the teenager fabricated the allegations to make himself appear “cool” in front of his friends.
‘I found it hard to say no’
Giving evidence, James described herself as immature and easily influenced when she was a teacher.
She told the court she started teaching at the age of 21 and believed she had been too lenient with pupils.
James said: “I just don’t think I was ready for it. As my career progressed, I realised maybe I was seeking validation from the wrong people.”
She added: “I did not want to upset them, I did not want to anger them. I wanted them to like me.”
Defence barrister Heather Stangoe asked why she had communicated with a student despite knowing it was against the rules.
James replied: “I think I wanted to be liked. I did not want to let people down. I was easily influenced.
“I found it hard to say ‘no’ to people I wanted to please.”
Denies flirting with pupil
James admitted there had been “banter” with pupils but insisted it was never sexual.
She denied flirting with the teenager, giving him vapes or an allegation that he had slapped her bottom.
However, James admitted lying to police when she initially claimed the teenager had never been to her home in Fareham.
She told the jury she lied because she did not want the situation to “blow up”.
James said she had been walking her dog when the teenager contacted her asking for a lift home.
She agreed to collect him and said she stopped at her house to drop off her dog and use the toilet before taking him home.
James maintains the teenager remained downstairs and no sexual activity took place.
Prosecutor challenges account
Prosecutor Edward Culver challenged James over how the teenager was allegedly able to provide police with an accurate sketch of the upstairs of her home.
He told her: “It’s all explained by you having a relationship with him, having sexual activity with him. There’s no other plausible explanation.”
James replied: “It did not happen.”
The prosecution alleges the pair initially kissed in James’s car at Weston Shore in Southampton before later going to her home, where sexual activity is alleged to have taken place.
Jurors have also heard allegations that James told the teenager she “loved him” and wanted to move away with him in messages.
The alleged relationship came to the attention of the school after another student showed a teacher messages said to have been exchanged between the pair.
James denies the charges.
The trial continues.
