A teacher accused of sexual activity with a 16-year-old pupil has told a UK court that she often struggled to say no to people she wanted to please.
Bronwen James, 30, is standing trial at Winchester Crown Court over four charges involving the teenager.
Prosecutors allege that James had sexual activity with the pupil several times while she worked as a PE teacher at Bitterne Park School in Southampton.
James denies the allegations.
Teacher Says She Wanted to Be Liked
Giving evidence in court, James said she was immature when she started teaching at 21.
She described herself as easily influenced and too lenient with pupils.
“I wanted them to like me,” she told the jury, explaining that she did not want to upset or anger students.
James also said she found it difficult to say no when she wanted to please someone.
She admitted communicating with the teenager on Snapchat. However, she insisted their exchanges were brief and denied having a sexual relationship with him.
James claimed the teenager had fabricated the allegations to appear “cool” around his friends.
James Denies Flirting With Pupil
The teacher acknowledged that she sometimes engaged in banter with pupils.
However, she denied that the exchanges were sexual.
She also rejected claims that she flirted with the teenager, supplied him with vapes or allowed inappropriate contact.
James suggested the teenager may have accessed her Snapchat account after she left her phone on her desk during a lesson.
She admitted that communicating with a pupil went against school rules. But she said her desire to be liked influenced her decision.
Teacher Admits Lying to Police
The court also heard that James initially gave police false information about the teenager visiting her home.
She admitted making the claim because she did not want the situation to “blow up.”
James later explained that she had given the teenager a lift after he contacted her while she was walking her dog.
She said his destination was on her route home.
According to James, she first stopped at her home to drop off her dog and use the toilet. She maintained that the teenager stayed downstairs before she drove him home.
She denied any sexual activity took place at her property.
Prosecutor Challenges Her Account
Prosecutor Edward Culver challenged James’ version of events.
He suggested she gave the teenager a lift because she had previously flirted with him.
Culver also questioned how the teenager could allegedly describe the upstairs layout of James’ home if he had never been there.
James rejected the suggestion that they had a sexual relationship.
“It did not happen,” she told the court.
Prosecutors have alleged that James and the teenager began communicating after connecting on Snapchat.
They claim the pair later met in Southampton, where they allegedly kissed inside her car.
The prosecution further alleges that the teenager later visited James’ home, where sexual activity took place.
The court also heard allegations that James sent the teenager messages expressing romantic feelings and discussing moving away with him.
The alleged relationship came to light after another student reportedly showed a teacher messages said to have been exchanged between James and the teenager.
James, who is from Chippenham, Wiltshire, denies all four charges.
The trial is continuing.
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