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Bronwen James, a former physical education teacher from Chippenham, Wiltshire, has been found guilty of multiple sexual offences involving teenage students. At Winchester Crown Court, James, aged 30, pleaded guilty to nine offences relating to two teenage girls, one from Bitterne Park School in Southampton and another attending Hardenhuish School in Chippenham. Additionally, she was convicted of three counts of sexual activity with a 16-year-old boy from Bitterne Park School following a trial.
The prosecution described James as someone who “craved” attention and exploited the trust placed in her as an educator. The jury found her 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, while acquitting her of a fourth charge. Because of legal reporting restrictions during the trial, James’ earlier guilty pleas involving the two girls, made in January, were not disclosed to the jury until after their verdict was delivered.
Throughout the five-day trial, evidence revealed that James engaged in a “flirty” relationship with the 16-year-old boy, communicating through Snapchat before having sexual encounters at her home on multiple occasions. The boy testified that James had expressed feelings of love toward him and even suggested he should move away with her, saying, “I thought she cared about me.” Despite the gravity of the charges, James displayed no visible emotional response as the verdict was read, instead staring at the floor.
The offences against the two girls included six counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual communication with a child, and one count of making indecent images. Senior crown prosecutor Bethany Adams condemned James for abusing the position of trust she held, stating, “Bronwen James was trusted to educate and protect children – instead, she used that trust to groom and sexually abuse three students.” Adams further described James’ behaviour as a “sustained pattern of predatory behaviour,” highlighting how she manipulated her victims by isolating them and normalising the abuse. A spokesperson from the NSPCC also emphasized the serious breach of trust, noting the particularly damaging impact such abuse can have on young people who find it difficult to recognize or report exploitation by authority figures
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