Rebecca Joynes, 30, was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with two teenage pupils, one of whom fathered her child.
Joynes was taken into custody and suspended from her position following the accusations made by the first boy.
While under investigation and still suspended, she initiated a romantic relationship with another 15-year-old boy, eventually conceiving a child with him, as stated in court.
In both instances, she engaged in flirtatious conversations with the boys via Snapchat before meeting them in person.
The second boy, identified as Boy B, disclosed that their relationship began with kissing and escalated to a relationship when he turned 16.
During the trial, it was revealed that Joynes threatened self-harm or suicide if the boy decided to end their relationship or that he would be held accountable if their separation resulted in a miscarriage.
She was accused of attempting to gain sympathy from the jury by displaying a pink baby bonnet belonging to their child during the trial.
Joynes claimed that the baby was taken away from her shortly after birth, and she is only permitted to visit three times a week.
She denied engaging in sexual activity with Boy A and maintained that her relationship with Boy B commenced after he turned 16 and left school, making it legal.
At that point, she had already been dismissed from her teaching position.
Joynes confessed to allowing Boy A into her residence and exchanging messages with him, attributing her actions to feelings of loneliness and a desire for attention following the end of a long-term relationship during the pandemic.
Students in her class reportedly made inappropriate comments about her appearance, referring to her as ‘Bunda Becky’ in a slang term related to her physique.
She became emotional while testifying, admitting that she succumbed to the attention she received.
Her defence attorney, Michael O’Brien, accused Boy A of fabricating the truth to save face in front of his friends after boasting about his intentions towards Joynes.
O’Brien argued that Boy B and Joynes were involved in a misguided yet legal relationship and that the adolescent manipulated the timeline and retaliated after the relationship concluded.
However, the prosecution contended that if Joynes were a man and her victims were girls, there would be no sympathy for the defendant and no inappropriate discussions about the victims’ willingness.
A jury convicted the teacher on six counts of engaging in sexual activities with the boys, two of which occurred while she was in a position of trust.
In a statement released outside the courtroom, a spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Police labelled Joynes as a ‘predator’ who exploited two students after they placed their trust in her.
‘Joynes decided to exploit her authority and used it to manipulate two teenagers. Now, she must face the repercussions of her actions.
The families have requested privacy as they aim to move forward and leave this ordeal in the past,’ the spokesperson concluded.
