Jury out in sex-case teacher Rebecca Joynes’ trial

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Jurors have retired to consider verdicts in the case of a teacher accused of having sex with two teenage pupils.

Rebecca Joynes, 30, was already suspended from her high school job and on bail for alleged sexual activity with boy A, 15, when she allegedly began a sexual relationship with the second youngster, boy B, whom she later became pregnant by.

Neither teenager can be identified.

On Wednesday she was accused of a “naked attempt to garner sympathy” from the jury by having a pink baby’s bonnet visibly tucked into her trouser front belonging to the child fathered by boy B, whose virginity she took, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Jurors have heard both boys sent Joynes flirty Snapchat messages before boy A was taken shopping, bought a £350 Gucci belt and went back to her flat in Salford Quays where he alleges they had sex, with his semen later recovered from her bedsheets by police.

Boy B claims sexual activity began when he was 15 with kissing and full sex when he was 16 and while he was still a pupil.

Joynes claims no sexual activity ever took place with boy A and a relationship developed with boy B while she was suspended from her job and only became sexual after she was dismissed and he had left school at 16, so no offence had taken place.

Joe Allman, prosecuting, told jurors the defendant is hoping they will see the case differently because she is a woman and not a man, accused of sex with teenagers.

He questioned why inappropriate Snapchats and comments, the boys referring to her as ‘Bunda Becky’ were not immediately “shut down” by the teacher and questioned whether she was attracted to teenage boys.

Earlier, Joynes told the jury she had ruined her “dream job” with stupid “mistakes” by meeting up with the two teenagers and having them back at her flat, but denied under-age sex.

Joynes admitted she had split after a nine-year relationship, was lonely and flattered by the attention.

Michael O’Brien, defending, said boy A’s claims were teenage boy bravado and boy B had chosen to “twist the dates” to say sex began earlier when he was still at school and aged 15.

Joynes wept as she told jurors the baby she had with boy B was taken away from her hours after giving birth and she now has only limited access, three times a week.

She denies six counts of sexual activity with a child, including two while being a person in a position of trust.

Jurors were sent home at 4.20pm on Thursday to return to court on Friday to resume deliberations.