Trial begins

A 30-year-old PE teacher is on trial at Winchester Crown Court, accused of four charges of sexual activity with a 16-year-old student at Bitterne Park School in Southampton, Hampshire. Bronwen James, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, denies all charges.

The prosecution's case, outlined by Edward Culver, alleges that James exploited her position. He told the court: "This case is about a teacher who exploited her position as a teacher to engage in sexual activity with one of her students. She flirted with him, exchanged messages with him, took him to her home and she had sex with him."

Alleged relationship

According to the prosecution, the relationship began after the student requested James's Snapchat details. James initially declined but later accepted, and the pair began exchanging what the prosecution described as "flirty messages".

Jurors heard that James first met the student by collecting him in her car and parking at Weston Shore, Southampton, where they allegedly kissed. They then travelled to James's home, where they "kissed and cuddled" while watching Wimbledon on television, before engaging in sexual acts and intercourse.

Mr Culver said the pair had sex on three or four occasions at her home, and that they messaged each other daily. He added: "She told him she cared about him and they even discussed moving in with each other. She told him she loved him and wanted to move away together."

The court also heard that the pupil was referred to as "Number 8" in their exchanges, a reference to him being the eighth male James had been intimate with. Some reports describe the number of occasions as four, while others give the range of three to four.

Student's account

In a video interview with police, the student said they "always used to flirt in lessons" before meeting up in James's car. He described their first meeting at Weston Shore, and said that James later approached him in class and asked him in a "flirty" manner: "Where were you last night?"

The boy said their relationship progressed to sexual encounters at James's home. He was quoted as saying: "At the time I was overwhelmed, it was great, but looking back at it, it was wrong." He also told police that James liked him to call her "Miss" when they were alone together, and that she would conceal vapes within his coursework.

He added: "She is a bit weird but I rolled with it, it was a little bit dodge but I didn't care." He also described James as "quite attractive" and said he thought she cared about him.

Jurors were told that James telephoned the boy from her leaving party and professed her love for him, with other teachers audible in the background.

How the allegations came to light

The court heard that the alleged offending came to light when a student showed a teacher messages exchanged between James and the boy. James was later interviewed under caution and gave a prepared statement denying the sexual relationship.

Defence position

James denies engaging in a sexual relationship with the boy. According to the prosecution, she maintains that the student had been "put up" by someone to make the allegations against her. She also claimed she had received communication from an unknown number, which turned out to be the boy's.

The trial continues.