'Accused teacher would get no sympathy if she was male'

Rebecca Joynes would get no sympathy if she was a man, the prosecution told the court

Nobody would have a "shred" of sympathy for a teacher accused of having sex with two teenage pupils if she was a man, a jury has been told.

Rebecca Joynes denies six charges of sexual activity with two teenagers including two while she was in a position of trust.

Joe Allman, prosecuting, said if Ms Joynes, 30, had been "Robert" Joynes and the complainants had been girls, it would not have been suggested to them they were "up for it" or the ones wanting sex, "because that would have been quite obscene".

Ms Joynes said she had made "mistakes" but denied underage sex.

'Attempt for sympathy'

The court was previously told the teacher was already suspended from her high school job and bailed for alleged sexual activity with boy A, 15, when she allegedly began a sexual relationship with the second youngster, boy B, who fathered her child.

In his closing statements at Manchester Crown Court, Mr Allman said Ms Joynes was making a "naked attempt" for sympathy by having a pink bonnet - from the baby fathered by one of the underage boys she is accused of having sex with - tucked visibly into her trousers during the trial.

He asked the jury: "Is what is going on here, is: she hopes you will treat her very differently because she is a woman and not a man, and you will see this case differently because she's a woman and not a man?"

He suggested Ms Joynes would like jurors to forget she is a responsible, mature adult teacher and the boys were teenage children and school pupils.

"It has the effect of warping the picture, so she almost becomes the victim and the boys the perpetrators."

The prosecutor asked the jury to imagine a scenario where a male teacher exchanges Snapchat messages, buys one girl a £350 belt and takes her back to his flat, while a second teenager falls pregnant to "Robert" Joynes.

'No sympathy'

"You would not have one shred of sympathy for Robert. This thought experiment drags Miss Joynes' defence into the light."

Previously, the court heard how both boys sent her flirty Snapchat messages before Ms Joynes took boy A shopping and bought him a £350 Gucci belt, then took him back to her flat on Salford Quays where they allegedly had sex.

Ms Joynes told the jury she ruined her "dream job" with "mistakes" by meeting up with the two teenagers and having them back at her flat, but denied underage sex.

Michael O’Brien, in his closing speech for the defence, said boy A had lied about what had taken place between him and Ms Joynes while boy B had “put the boot in” while being interviewed by detectives.

He said meeting students outside school was wrong, but not a criminal offence.

Mr O'Brien also said boy B had given “unclear and inconsistent answers” to questions.

He added that Ms Joynes and Boy B, were in a “perfectly legal relationship” which the teenager had chosen to “twist the dates” and “put the boot in”, to say sex began earlier when he was at school and aged 15.

Ms Joynes denies the allegations.

The trial continues.