A 30-year-old former mathematics teacher, Rebecca Joynes, has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison for having sex with two underage students according to Daily Mail.

The case, heard at Manchester Crown Court, revealed a pattern of misconduct that shocked the community and raised concerns about student safety in schools.

Judge Kate Cornell, in her sentencing remarks, highlighted the severity of Joynes’ actions: “There is a breathtaking arrogance in your conduct. You were the adult. You were the person in control, the person who should have known better and entrusted by the school and the boys and by their parents of caring for their sons. Instead, you abused that position of trust and exploited the privileged role for your own sexual gratification.”

The court heard that Joynes had initiated contact with the first student, referred to as Boy A, through a contrived game to exchange phone numbers. This led to further interactions outside of school, including a shopping trip where Joynes purchased a £345 Gucci belt for the student.

While on bail for the first offense, Joynes became involved with a second student, Boy B, resulting in a pregnancy. The judge noted the “astonishing arrogance” in Joynes’ continued misconduct while awaiting trial.

One of the victims provided a statement detailing the lasting impact of the abuse: “I struggled to come to terms with my abuse – I was completely in denial. I felt a large sense of guilt for a long time.” He added, “I was coerced and controlled, manipulated, sexually abused and mentally abused.”

Judge Cornell said her offences had displayed a ‘significant degree of planning’ and grooming behaviour including the ‘confected game’ to provide Boy A with her mobile phone number.

She said Joynes had been a high achiever but ‘you chose to throw that away’.

The judge added: “It might be easy to fall into the misconception these boys were not victims. Surely they were up for it, how could that be a crime?”

“Well, there’s no doubt this was a crime. Having seen both boys giving evidence, I’m very satisfied both boys were very much victims. They were obviously unworldly and vulnerable to the advances of an attractive woman.”

“Fifteen year-old boys are no less vulnerable than girls. Equally, a female teacher is capable of behaving as manipulatively as a male teacher”

She said that although later stages of Boy B’s relationship with Joynes was not illegal, it would not have occurred had the ‘initially illegal’ relationship not began when he was 15.

Judge Cornell said Joynes showed ‘breathtaking gall’ in striking up the relationship with him when on bail for abusing Boy A.

She said aggravating factors included Joynes encouraging Boy B to lie and cover up their relationship – and the fact they had a baby.

‘There’s astonishing arrogance in keeping the police when they had turned up at your door to arrest you because you were in the process of restoring your phone to factory settings,’ the judge said.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Jane Wilson commented on the case’s broader implications: “Every parent sends their children to school expecting them to be safeguarded and taken care of; Joynes’s actions have eroded that trust.”