A former PE teacher has been convicted of sexual offences involving a 16-year-old boy, having already admitted offences against two teenage girls who were pupils at schools where she worked.
Bronwen James, 30, from Chippenham, was found guilty at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday of three counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
The jury returned the verdicts by a majority following a trial which began on Tuesday, September 1.
James was cleared of a fourth count of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
The convictions relate to a 16-year-old boy who attended Bitterne Park School in Southampton, where James worked as a PE teacher.
During the trial, James denied having sex with the teenager or exchanging flirtatious messages with him.
Admitted offences involving two girls
James had already pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in January to a series of sexual offences involving two teenage girls.
One was a pupil at Bitterne Park School who was 13 when inappropriate communications began and 14 at the time of the sexual activity.
James admitted four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual communication with a child in relation to that girl.
She also admitted offences involving a girl at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, who was also 13 when inappropriate communications began and 14 when the sexual activity took place.
Those offences comprised two counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual communication with a child and one count of making indecent images of a child.
Police say teacher ‘betrayed the trust’ placed in her
Detective Investigator Francesca Mason, from Wiltshire Police‘s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said James had occupied a position of trust while working as a teacher.
She said: “The children under her supervision had every right to look to her for support and guidance.
“However, the jury sitting at Winchester Crown Court today heard how Bronwen James betrayed the trust placed in her by cynically manipulating these children.”
The investigator described James as a “sexual predator” and said the survivors would have to live with the impact of her offending at a pivotal stage in their emotional development.
She also thanked them for their bravery in reporting what happened and for their patience while waiting for the case to reach court.
Sentencing date to be set
James has been bailed to return to court on Monday, September 14, when Wiltshire Police says she will be remanded in custody and a date for sentencing will be set.
