PE teacher 'had sex with pupil' at her home

A PE teacher who allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old pupil also slipped vapes in his coursework in class, a court has heard.

Bronwen James, 30, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of four charges of sexual activity with the student at Bitterne Park School in Southampton, Hampshire.

Edward Culver, prosecuting, told the court on Wednesday the pair "messaged daily", adding James told the pupil she "cared about him" and "even discussed moving in with each other".

James has denied having a sexual relationship with the boy, and claimed that he had been "put up" by someone to make the allegations against her, Culver added.

Culver said the pupil went under the nickname "Number 8" in their messages, because he was the eighth male she had allegedly slept with.

The court also heard the student told police in a video interview they had sex at her house, and said: "At the time I was overwhelmed, it was great, but looking back at it, it was wrong."

In the opening day of the trial, Culver said: "This case is about a teacher who exploited her position to engage in sexual activity with one of her students.

"She flirted with him, exchanged messages with him, took him to her home and she had sex with him."

Culver said the relationship started after the student asked for James' Snapchat address, adding she initially refused before accepting and they began sending "flirty" messages.

James then first met up with the student by picking him up in her car and them parking at Weston Shore, Southampton, where they "kissed", Culver told the jury.

Culver said the pair went to James' home where they "kissed and cuddled" while watching Wimbledon on the television.

They then went to her bedroom where they performed sex acts on each other and had sexual intercourse, Culver said.

He said they had sex three or four times at her home.

Culver said: "They messaged daily and she told (him) she cared about him and they even discussed moving in with each other, she told him she loved him and wanted to move away together."

In the video interview with police, the student said that they "always used to flirt in lessons" before they met up in her car.

The boy also described James as "quite attractive" to officers, adding that in class she would slip him vapes in his coursework and that she liked him to call her "Miss" when they were alone together.

He said: "She is a bit weird but I rolled with it, it was a little bit dodge but I didn't care."

He also described how James told him she loved him while on the phone to him during her leaver's party, with other teachers in the background.

He added: "I thought she cared about me."

The trial, which is expected to last for up to six days, continues.

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