Ex Southampton teacher told pupil she loved him, jury hears

Bronwen James, 30, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of four charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.

The former Bitterne Park School teacher denies all four charges.

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Opening the prosecution case today, Edward Culver said: "This is a case about a teacher who exploited her position as a teacher 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."

Mr Culver told the jury the pair began exchanging messages after connecting on Snapchat and that the conversations became flirtatious.

He said: "They messaged daily and she told him she cared about him. They even discussed moving in together.

"She told him she loved him," Mr Culver said, adding she told the boy she wanted him to move away with her.

(Image: Rod Minchin)

He added that the messages, over Snapchat, were not recoverable.

Jurors heard the pair later met up at Weston Shore, where prosecutors allege they kissed in James' car, before she took the boy to her home, where sexual activity took place.

In a recorded video interview shown to court on Wednesday, the boy said: "She told me it was more than just sex and that she loved me.

"I thought she cared about me."

He said he was "overwhelmed" and excited at the time about the situation.

Jurors heard the school became aware of the allegations after another student showed messages to a teacher.

Police later investigated, and James, now of Lytham Close, Chippenham, was interviewed under caution.

Mr Culver said that James denied the allegations in a prepared statement to police, saying the boy had never been to her house and that she had never had a sexual relationship with him.

The trial, before Judge James Bromige, is expected to last a total of five to six days.