M10news — A Northern Ireland teacher has been sentenced to two years in prison after grooming and sexually abusing a teenage boy before falsely accusing him of rape.
Judith Evans, 33, a former teacher at Belfast Boys’ Model School, was jailed at Belfast Crown Court on Friday and will be placed on the sex offender register for life.
The court heard that Evans developed an inappropriate friendship with the boy before exploiting him.
Judge Patricia Smyth revealed that Evans had exchanged nearly 10,000 text messages with the teenager, describing her as having “basked in the boy’s adolescent attraction towards her.”
Evans, of Elmwood Grove in Newtownabbey, initially denied the allegations but later admitted to several charges, including:
- Sexual communication with a child
- Meeting a child following sexual grooming
- Sexual activity with a child involving penetration
- Possessing indecent images of the victim
- Perverting the course of justice
The offences occurred between March 1 and May 17, 2024.
The court was told that Evans falsely claimed the schoolboy had threatened and raped her. She also alleged the boy’s father was linked to the Ulster Defence Association, an accusation Judge Smyth described as “entirely false.”
During sentencing, the judge said the victim had been particularly vulnerable due to family circumstances.
Evans exploited this by frequently contacting his mother, claiming she wanted to help him with revision.
The court heard that Evans had sent the boy sexual photos during the Easter holidays and later arranged to meet him on two occasions, where sexual activity took place. On a third occasion, the boy refused to get into Evans’ car as it belonged to her husband and lacked tinted windows.
The victim’s ordeal came to light after his girlfriend discovered text messages on his phone. The boy later admitted to the relationship and expressed suicidal thoughts, fearing police involvement. His father took him to the hospital, where he disclosed what had happened.
Following the sentencing, PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Jill Duffie condemned Evans as a “cold, calculating child predator” who had abused her position of trust.
“Evans preyed on the victim’s vulnerabilities, building an inappropriate relationship before grooming and sexually exploiting him,” DI Duffie said.
She added that the victim had suffered significant mental health struggles but had shown “immense bravery” in bringing Evans to justice.
DI Duffie urged other male victims of sexual abuse to speak out, stating: “There is no shame for them to carry. Suffering in silence is never the answer.”
