According to a court ruling, a 54-year-old secondary school Barry Paedophile teacher, Jonathan Coombs, “emotionally blackmailed” a teenager and threatened to commit suicide if their relationship ended.
At the time of the alleged sexual offences, which occurred between November 2022 and April 2023, Jonathan Coombs, a resident of Barry, was a theatre teacher at Pencoedtre Comprehensive and active in a number of drama organisations.
The boy told Cardiff Crown Court that he felt trapped by Mr. Jonathan Coombs and that he had been warned that their connection would “ruin both of their lives” if anyone found out.
Mr. Jonathan Coombs disputes seven allegations of a person in a position of trust having sex with a kid.
After one production, prosecutor Roger Griffiths KC informed the jury that Mr. Coombs had confessed to having intercourse with the adolescent at a party.
They had started exchanging messages which were friendly at first but became suggestive, the court heard, with Mr Jonathan Coombs telling the teenager he was his “Gay Guru”.
He would be invited to Mr Jonathan Coombs house and on one occasion they began kissing.
The teenager described the situation to police as getting “weirder and weirder”.
He said on one occasion when he tried to stop what was happening, Mr Coombs threatened to commit suicide.
“I couldn’t deal with that, ” he said, describing feeling trapped.
Mr Jonathan Coombs would buy tickets to see shows and they would go together and engage in oral sex either in side streets or in the car.
Following one show the complainant went to Jonathan Coombs’ house and agreed to have sex with him but he said he was drunk when he did so.
In the following days the teenager received messages from Mr Jonathan Coombs which made him “feel sick”, the court heard.
He said Mr Jonathan Coombs warned him that they would both get into trouble if anyone found out and it would ruin both their lives.
The court heard they had a public argument following a local drama performance, when Mr Jonathan Coombs accused him of being ungrateful and threw a drink over him.
On being asked what had happened the jury was told that Mr Jonathan Coombs said: “I could lose my job because of this but I don’t care, we slept together.”
In a police interview played in court the teenager said Jonathan Coombs had made him feel sorry for him with stories about his parents getting old and a former boyfriend beating him up.
He said Mr Jonathan Coombs used emotional blackmail when he tried to end what was happening.
“He said If anyone did find out we’d both be in trouble and when I tried to end it he said, I never wanted to fall in love with you, I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
The police interviewer can be heard asking if the teenager believed he was in a relationship with Mr Jonathan Coombs, to which he answered “no”.
The same interview heard Mr Jonathan Coombs would insist on giving him money in cards but wouldn’t sign his name instead he would write “from your one and only”.
He said he must have had £500 from him.
“He would give me the card and it would lead to something sexual,” he said.
“I thought I had to give him something now, I felt that he expected it, that’s why he started to give me stuff.”
Mr Jonathan Coombs denies any sexual impropriety with the teenager.
UPDATE 10.05.025
Jonathon Coombs has been found not guilty of some counts of pressuring teenager into sex
The prosecution is currently contemplating a request for a retrial on the outstanding charges.
A hearing is scheduled for May 16. Mr. Coombs was remanded in custody.
Jonathon Coombs, 54, from Barry, served as a theatre instructor at Pencoedtre Comprehensive and participated in local theatrical organisations.
The court was informed that Mr. Coombs had become a confidant to the adolescent, who was uncertain about his sexuality, but had subsequently manipulated and exploited him.
He refuted seven allegations of sexual conduct with a minor by a someone in a position of authority.
Following nearly 12 hours of discussion, a jury at Cardiff Crown Court rendered a judgement of not guilty on five counts but was unable to reach a consensus on two remaining counts and was subsequently discharged.
The court previously heard that when interrogated by police, the adolescent denied any occurrence, only to alter his statement five months later.
The prosecution contended that the delay stemmed from his embarrassment and fear of acknowledging any occurrence between them.
Mr. Jonathon Coombs’ defence contended that the accusations against him were only malicious gossip and that he had never confessed to engaging in sexual relations with the youngster.
The trial revealed that the defendant had participated in theatre organisations for 30 years and had served as a teacher for 20 years without any complaints lodged against him.
The judge expressed gratitude to the jury for their diligent efforts and remarked that instances with conflicting testimonies were the most challenging.
The CPS has spoken to the defendent and convinced them that it isn’t worth having another trial so that is the end of that.
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