A teacher who is currently in prison for engaging in sexual relationships with two teenage pupils may face a lifetime ban from teaching due to her actions being deemed as ‘unacceptable conduct’ by a professional conduct panel. Rebecca Joynes, 31, did not attend the hearing where it was revealed that she caused significant harm to the two students. She was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of multiple counts of sexual activity with minors, including while in a position of trust.
Joynes lured one 15-year-old boy with a shopping trip to the Trafford Centre, where she purchased an expensive Gucci belt for him. She later became pregnant by another teenage student, whom she also engaged in a sexual relationship with when he was 15. The professional conduct panel concluded that Joynes had committed ‘unacceptable conduct’ and recommended that she be permanently banned from returning to the education sector.
Despite being given the opportunity to attend the hearing remotely, Joynes declined and did not have legal representation present. The panel highlighted the severity of her convictions and her lack of cooperation during the proceedings. The panel heard how Joynes abused her position of trust by engaging in sexual acts with the students she had direct contact with through her teaching role.
The panel’s chairman, Phil Thompson, stated that Joynes’ behavior constituted ‘unacceptable conduct’ and brought disrepute to the teaching profession. It was further recommended that the Secretary of State for Education be informed to consider a permanent ban on Joynes from teaching due to the fundamental incompatibility of her actions with the responsibilities of a teacher.
Joynes, who is currently incarcerated, was found guilty of committing sexual offenses against minors and breaching the trust placed in her as an educator. Her crimes have had a lasting impact on the victims involved, with one of the boys expressing feeling coerced, controlled, and sexually abused by Joynes. The judge emphasized the severity of her actions and the breach of trust she exhibited towards the students, their families, and the school community. Joynes was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison and is required to register as a sex offender for life.