Rebecca Joynes, 31, was jailed for six-and-a-half years in July for having sex with two pupils.
John Scheerhout and Emma O’Neill Content Editor
13:14, 04 Dec 2025
Rebecca Joynes arriving at Manchester Crown Court in July(Image: PA)
Imprisoned paedophile teacher Rebecca Joynes has shunned a special conduct hearing which today heard that she inflicted ‘enormous damage’ on two of her pupils.
Joynes, 31, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison in July for engaging in sexual relations with two students. She lured one 15 year old lad with a trip to the Trafford Centre, where she bought him a £345 Gucci belt from Selfridges.
She then became pregnant by another teenage student, with whom she also initiated a sexual relationship when he was 15. Joynes was convicted of six counts of sexual activity with a child at Manchester Crown Court, including two counts of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.
The offences involved two teenage boys she encountered through her role as a teacher at a Greater Manchester school. For legal reasons, neither the boys nor the school can be identified.
Today (Thursday December 4, 2025), a professional conduct panel hearing was being held to examine her behaviour. Joynes, who remains incarcerated, declined the invitation to attend the remote hearing and had no one to represent her interests, the panel was informed, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Shirley Duckworth, representing the Teaching Regulation Agency, told the panel that Joynes’ convictions were ‘of the utmost severity’ and highlighted her ‘lack of engagement’ in conduct panel proceedings.
Ms Duckworth stated that Joynes had ‘committed sexual offences against two boys she had direct contact with in the course of her profession’.
Detailing her crimes against one of the victims, referred to as Pupil A, Ms Duckworth highlighted that the teacher was guilty of an ‘abuse of trust’. She also emphasised the ‘significant disparity’ in their ages as noted by the trial judge.
Ms Duckworth added that the teacher had ‘deleted’ the contents of her phone when an investigation was initiated.
Ms Duckworth described her crimes against the second boy, known as Pupil B, as characterised by ‘grooming and an abuse of trust’.
She stated that ‘the most serious’ aspect of the crimes against Pupil B was that they occurred while she was on bail for offences against Pupil A.
The hearing was informed that Joynes, a maths teacher, was sacked for gross misconduct in July 2022 following her initial court appearance.
(Image: PA)
Ms Duckworth revealed that police visited the school where Joynes taught in 2021 and notified the headteacher about an ongoing investigation into allegations regarding Pupil A after a complaint was made to Childline.
The barrister mentioned that Joynes couldn’t deny a relationship with Pupil B due to the ‘existence of a child’, which she labelled as a ‘significant aggravating feature’.
Ms Duckworth commented that the ‘notion of a Mrs Robinson figure’ is one that ‘permeates’, but she continued to say that her crimes against the two boys have had a ‘lasting impact’.
She said fatherhood was ‘thrust upon’ Pupil B, who she quoted as saying: “I will forever be Rebecca’s victim and will be forever be linked to her through our child.”
The acquisition of a £345 Gucci belt, she continued, was a ‘manipulative form of flattery’, adding that Pupil B had ‘felt deceived by a teacher she should have been able to trust’.
She further stated: “It’s right to identify Miss Joynes as a paedophile.”
She declared it ‘inconceivable’ that Joynes wasn’t aware she was doing something wrong, adding: “The damage done here is enormous.”
The conduct panel, led by Phil Thompson, kicked off just after 9am on Thursday. The panel is determining whether Joynes’ behaviour constitutes ‘unacceptable conduct’ and if it tarnishes the teaching profession.
If so, it will then retreat into a private session to decide whether to recommend a ‘prohibition order’ to the secretary of state.
The hearing was set to continue today, with the panel expected to announce its findings on Thursday afternoon.
Joynes was sentenced in July at Manchester Crown Court where her two victims were referred to as Boy A and Boy B in press coverage of the proceedings.
The court was told she took Boy A to the Trafford Centre and purchased him a £345 Gucci belt from Selfridges, before escorting him back to her flat in Salford, where they engaged in sexual activity.
She was suspended from her role and was later found to be pregnant with a second boy – Boy B – whom she met when he was 15, leading to them sharing a kiss.
The relationship escalated to a sexual level, with Joynes becoming pregnant and subsequently giving birth to his child. This occurred despite her previous assertions that it was ‘almost impossible’ for her to conceive due to a health condition.
She revealed her pregnancy during a romantic ‘date night’, complete with rose petals and love notes, and presented him with a baby grow bearing the words ‘I love my daddy to the moon and back’.
A victim statement read on behalf of Boy B stated: “I was coerced, controlled and sexually abused, it was very upsetting this happened to me and I had little to no support from organisations.”
He continued: “For months after the abuse it was a very dark time. I felt backed into a corner, I had just lived a double life for 18 months, and it had a massive mental toll on me and my family.”
He added: “It tore my family apart, they struggled to come to terms with the fact they brought me to school which was supposed to be a safe environment. My parents broke down every day and night.”
Joynes, who has a clean record, refuted the charges at trial. Over several days of testimony, she denied any sexual involvement with the first boy but admitted she ‘liked the attention’ he gave her.
When questioned about why she took him to the Trafford Centre before letting him stay at her flat, she responded: “I was stupid, I don’t know.”
Regarding the second boy, she maintained nothing occurred between them until he reached 16 and after her dismissal from her position. She professed to be ‘in love with’ the teenager, describing their connection as rooted in a ‘strong friendship’.
The court was presented with correspondence in which she wrote to him that ‘every inch of you is perfect’.
Joynes revealed to the court that just 24 hours following their baby’s birth, the child was ‘taken away’ from her. Throughout proceedings, she kept a baby’s bonnet concealed in her trousers.
Her defence barrister, Michael O’Brien, explained his client battles with anxiety and depression, noting the probation service had deemed her ’emotionally fragile’.
“The defendant understands her own conduct has seen her miss out on the early years of her baby’s life. The baby will miss out on very important contact with her mother. The defendant understands that’s entirely of her making – and it’s not the baby’s fault,” he stated.
“The shorter the time, the better for the baby,” the barrister continued. He described the separation of mother and newborn as ‘harrowing’ for Joynes.
During sentencing, Judge Kate Cornell accused her of displaying ‘breathtaking arrogance’, stating: “You have shown an unwilling inability to face up to wrongdoing. This does you no favours, Ms Joynes.
“You were the adult, the one in control and should have known better. You were trusted by the school, the boys and the parents – for caring and protecting their sons. You abused that trust and exploited that role for your sexual gratification. It is inconceivable you did not realise that too.
“You deliberately transgressed them and encouraged boys to breach that too. You turned a blind eye.”
Joynes, from Pensby Avenue, the Wirral, has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years behind bars. Restraining orders have been issued against both boys.
Joynes will be on the Sex Offender Register for life.