Bronwen James, then aged 30, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, has been convicted at Winchester Crown Court of carrying out sexual offences against three pupils while working as a physical education teacher across two schools.
The verdict follows an investigation by Wiltshire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team into James’s conduct while employed in positions of trust at Bitterne Park School in Southampton and Hardenhuish School in Chippenham.
James had denied carrying out sexual offences against a 16-year-old male pupil at Bitterne Park School, claiming during her trial, which opened on 1 September, that she had never exchanged flirtatious communications or engaged in sexual activity with the teenager.
Following jury deliberations, she was found guilty by a majority verdict on:
- Three counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust
The jury acquitted her on one further count of the same charge.
The trial followed an earlier court hearing in January, during which James formally admitted a series of sexual offences involving two female pupils.
In relation to a female pupil at Bitterne Park School, James entered guilty pleas to:
- Four counts of sexual activity with a child
- One count of sexual communication with a child
The court was told the child was 13 years old when James initiated inappropriate communications and 14 years old when the sexual activity took place.
James also admitted targeting another female pupil while working at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, pleading guilty to:
- Two counts of sexual activity with a child
- One count of sexual communication with a child
- One count of making an indecent photograph of a child
This victim was also 13 when the communications began and 14 when the sexual activity occurred.
Detective Investigator Francesca Mason, of Wiltshire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, stated that James had completely betrayed the trust placed in her by pupils and parents alike.
DI Mason condemned James as a sexual predator who cynically manipulated and encouraged children under her care to engage in sexual activity for her own gratification at a critical stage in their emotional development.
Proceedings have been adjourned, with James to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
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