A 16-year-old pupil who was allegedly in a sexual relationship with a female PE teacher was almost caught slapping her bottom in school by another teacher, a court heard today.
Bronwen James, 30, is accused of having sex with the pupil at her house while they watched Wimbledon and asked him to call her 'miss' as a 'fantasy'.
She was allegedly 'flirtatious' with the boy and invited him to her home for sex up to four times.
The schoolboy said he spent time alone with James on school grounds while they were allegedly sleeping together.
The boy told jurors that he helped James put PE equipment away after class and slapped her bottom.
Moments later a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at Bitterne Park School walked round the corner, according to the boy who can't be named for legal reasons.
The GCSE student also said that he was seen comforting her while crying after her boyfriend broke up with her.
The teacher is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of four counts of sexual activity with the teenager, which she denies. She claims the boy was 'put up' by another pupil to make the allegations against her.
Bronwen James, 30, is accused of having sex with the pupil at her house while they watched Wimbledon and asked him to call her 'miss' as a 'fantasy'
James was allegedly 'flirtatious' with the boy and invited him to her home for sex up to four times
Bronwen James pictured at Salisbury Magistrates Court accused of a string of child sex offences
Giving evidence today at court, the boy said as part of the 'flirting' between the two he had slapped her 'on the arse' but was nearly caught by a member of the school's SLT.
He said: 'If he had [seen the slap] then we wouldn't be sitting here.
'He walked around the corner and saw us together. He didn't see that. He was an SLT teacher.'
He later added: 'One time she came and was crying because her boyfriend broke up with her. It was one time.'
The boy was repeatedly questioned about apparent inconsistencies in his account but maintained that the pair had sex at her house after she had picked him up whilst she was his PE teacher.
Heather Stangoe, defending James, pointed out inconsistencies in the alleged victim's account regarding watching Wimbledon, to which he replied: 'I must have just got the details wrong.
'It was a long time ago. I can't really remember.'
When asked about other details in his police interview, he said: 'It was a long interview. I must have just brushed past it. It wasn't really important to me.
The teacher is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of four counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust, which she denies
'I should not have guessed. I specifically said I don't remember.'
Ms Stangoe questioned how sure he was of his account due to his repeated use of the phrase 'I think', to which he said: 'I am sure of it. It is an 18-year-old boy talking to the police. I was shy and nervous and I said "I think, I think".
'But I am positive it happened. I say "I think" when I am in a nervous situation. It is just me nervous talking.'
When asked about what they did after sex, he said they just 'cuddled and talked about life'.
The court previously heard that James allegedly organised meetings with the pupil at Bitterne Park School in Southampton on Snapchat and picked him up so they could kiss in the car as part of their 'sexually charged relationship'.
The court also heard that she told him that she 'loved him' and 'wanted to move away' with him.
The boy previously told the court that he felt 'groomed' by James but at the time thought it was 'great' and made him feel like he was living 'a teenage boy's dream'.
In police interview footage played to the court, the boy claimed James liked him to call her 'miss' when they were alone together.
She was teaching at Bitterne Park School in Southampton at the time of the alleged offences
'I always called her "miss", I don't know why, I think it was her little fantasy or something,' he said.
He told the court: 'I was just enjoying it whilst it was happening. It was such a weird period of my life. I don't really remember everything that happened and when it happened.'
In his video interview with police, he said that they 'always used to flirt in lessons' before they met up in her car.
He said that the following day she came up to him in class and asked him in a 'flirty' manner: 'Where were you last night?'
The boy said that they progressed to having sex at her house and added: 'At the time I was overwhelmed. It was great but, looking back at it, it was wrong.'
Describing the first occasion at her home, he said: 'She was coming to me on the sofa, head in my lap, watching TV, her dog was there as well, just relaxing, then I leaned in for a kiss.
'We were kissing, then things progressed, I said "Shall we go upstairs?", she said "yes" and we had sex. She got naked and I got naked and that's how it went.'
The boy added that in class James, who he described as 'quite attractive', would slip him vapes in his coursework.
He also described how James told him that she loved him over the phone while she was standing outside a nightclub with other teachers at her leaving party. He added: 'I thought she cared about me.'
James was teaching PE at Bitterne Park School in Southampton at the time of the alleged offences.
The trial continues next week.