Rebecca Joynes: Teacher who had sex with two schoolboys jailed

A teacher who engaged in sexual activity with two male students and is now expecting a baby with one of them has been sentenced to prison.

According to the Manchester Crown Court, Rebecca Joynes began building relationships with both boys when they were 15 years old by communicating with them through social media.

The individual, who is 30 years old, was previously found guilty of committing four acts of sexual activity with one child and two acts of sexual activity with another child.

Joynes wept and trembled in the courtroom as she received a six-and-a-half-year sentence.

During the trial, it was revealed that Joynes, who was 28 at the time, had recently ended a nine-year relationship and was feeling pleased by the admiration she received from teenage schoolboys.

Both teenagers, referred to as Boy A and Boy B during the trial, cannot be named because they are underage.

In early 2024, Joynes delivered a baby for Boy B, but the child was removed from her care within a day.

In a statement about how the crime affected him, Boy B expressed that one of the most difficult aspects was not being informed about the baby.

He said, "I had a hard time accepting my abuse, I refused to admit it."

While on the stand, he admitted feeling guilty for "hurting someone I care about and making a mistake by testifying", but later came to understand the severity of the abuse and manipulation tactics employed.

He claimed that he was pressured, dominated, influenced, sexually mistreated, and emotionally mistreated. He also stated that he will always be affected by Rebecca and linked to her through their child.

During the court session where punishment was determined, Judge Kate Cornell addressed Joynes, stating: "You were the grown-up, the one in charge.

"You should have been more aware. You didn't uphold the rules of proper behavior and purposely broke them."

During the trial, it was revealed that Joynes would brush off inappropriate comments instead of putting an end to the behavior.

She handed Boy A most of the digits of her cell phone number, leaving out just one, challenging him to solve the problem and figure out the missing digit.

After that, they added each other on Snapchat and he sent her playful messages, eventually arranging to meet up confidentially.

A young boy told his mom that he was going to be at a friend's house after school, but instead, Joynes came and took him to the Trafford Centre. There, she got him a Gucci belt that cost £350.

Judge Cornell mentioned that the CCTV footage of Joynes purchasing the belt revealed that his flirtatious body language and eye contact was a strong sign of grooming behavior.

Back at her apartment, Joynes was intimate with Boy A twice.

The following day, the boy's mother spotted a hickey on her son's neck, but he brushed it off as no big deal.

The court was informed that she entered the school reception area in a forceful manner while police were contacted regarding the situation.

Afterwards, Joynes was released on bail with the condition that she could not be alone with anyone under the age of 18 without supervision.

In her testimony, she mentioned that she returned to her parents' house in Wirral following a period of emotional distress. She was feeling very down when Boy B contacted her through Snapchat.

He later informed the police that they frequently had sex without using protection at her flat in Salford Quays. Joynes had allegedly reassured him that she could not get pregnant.

Joynes was taken into custody for violating the terms of her bail and remained there for five months until she was released on bail in November of last year.

Boy B mentioned in his statement that there was a significant emotional and psychological strain on him and his family.

He mentioned that social services informed him that Joynes had declined to allow them to keep him informed about the baby's expected arrival date, gender, or well-being.

"The idea of not being able to see my child was devastating," he stated.

Judge Cornell described Joynes as a person who had achieved a lot but had ruined her career and lost custody of her child because of her own choices.

"You felt lifted and encouraged by their focus," she remarked.

You haven't provided any valuable information, you keep refusing to admit the wrongdoings and have chosen not to speak about how these boys have been negatively affected.

Police officer Beth Alexander from Greater Manchester expressed that school should be a secure environment for kids.

It is evident from the public responses to Joynes' conviction that there is still a lack of awareness regarding male victims of sexual crimes.

They have come across comments suggesting that others are envious of them, and that they should be grateful that a young female teacher was interested in them. This kind of language is harmful and risky.

Women can also be child abusers, not just men. Men and boys can also be targets of sexual assault.

More information from PA News was also included in this blog section.