Teaching assistant had sex with boy, 15, and told him 'age is just a number'

28 March 2022, 23:26

A teaching assistant has avoided jail after twice having sex with a schoolboy, with a court being told she said "age is just a number".

Rebecca Williams began messaging the 15-year-old online before driving him to her home in Criccieth, Gwynedd, Wales, on a weekend.

Mold Crown Court heard they kissed and had sex. The 21-year-old asked to meet up again and they did so, but after she wanted more of a relationship the boy blocked her.

Richard Edwards, prosecuting, said rumours of the relationship broke out around the school.

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"The head of the school questioned the defendant directly about the information. The defendant denied anything untoward had gone on," he said.

The court heard the boy confirmed he and Williams had sex after social services and police were told about the relationship, the Daily Mail reported.

Williams admitted two counts of sexual activity with the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and abusing a position of trust.

Her defence said she has a new job outside of education and was getting help for mental health, and has since embarked on a new relationship.

Williams was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence and told to pay £576 in costs and to register as a sex offender for ten years.

She will not be allowed to work with children again, and Judge Nicola Saffman said there had been "grooming" in the case, adding that some of the messages, which were sent on school grounds, were an "aggravating feature".