A TEACHER who groomed and sexually abused a teenage pupil has been described as a “cold, calculating child predator”.
Judith Evans was jailed for two years at Belfast Crown Court on Friday for a series of sexual offences against a schoolboy and placed on the sex offender register for life.
The court heard that when Judith Evans was confronted with her crimes by police, she had falsely claimed that her teenage victim had threatened and raped her.
Judge Patricia Smyth said there had been close to 10,000 text messages exchanged between the teacher and pupil.
The judge said the teacher had basked in her victim’s “adolescent attraction towards her”.
Evans, 33, from Elmwood Grove in Newtownabbey, was a teacher at Belfast Boys’ Model School when the offences occurred.
Following sentencing, PSNI detective chief inspector Jill Duffie said: “Evans is a cold, calculating child predator who was in a position of trust and abused that position by taking advantage of a young boy who was her pupil at the time.
“She preyed on his vulnerabilities and built an inappropriate friendship with the boy before then further grooming him and sexually exploiting him.
“The messages exchanged between her and her underage pupil were highly sexual and nothing short of sickening.”
Evans had initially denied the charges but the mother-of-two later pleaded guilty to a total of eight sexual offences committed against the teenage boy.
The charges she admitted include sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, sexual activity with a child involving penetration and possessing indecent images of the schoolboy.
These offences were committed between March 1 and May 17 2024.
‘INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL SUGGESTIONS’
She further admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice.
Delivering sentence, Judge Smyth told the court Evan had groomed the child who was vulnerable because of family circumstances.
After giving him her email address and mobile phone number text communications followed.
The judge said: “From an early stage they contained inappropriate sexual suggestions.”
EXPLICIT IMAGES
She told the court that during the Easter holidays in 2024 the communications escalated to sexual photos being sent to the boy.
She added: “Within a matter of weeks the defendant was inviting the victim to meet her.
“The defendant met the victim on two occasions outside school where sexual activity occurred.”
“Evans is a cold, calculating child predator who was in a position of trust and abused that position by taking advantage of a young boy who was her pupil at the time.”
Jill Duffie
She said on a third occasion the boy would not get into a car with Evans because it belonged to her husband and did not have blacked out windows.
The judge said there were also references within text exchanges to sexual contact at school, but said this had not been proven.
The court heard that Evans phoned the victim’s mother on a regular basis to discuss his demeanour and said she wanted to keep him after class for revision.
FALSE ACCOUNT
The judge added: “The mother recalled her son returning home looking dishevelled on one occasion with his tie undone and his shirt buttons opened after apparently having stayed behind for revision.”
After the schoolboy’s girlfriend found a text message on his phone, he admitted that he had cheated on her and said he wanted to run away and kill himself because he knew police would be involved.
The court was told his father took him to hospital where he disclosed the sexual activity with his teacher.
When interviewed by police, Evans claimed the boy had threatened and raped her and that his dad was connected to the UDA.
The judge said: “Every aspect of that account was false.”
She added: “There is no question that the defendant’s behaviour and the aftermath of the discovery of these offences have had a profound effect on this young victim and his family.”
VICTIM’S SUFFERING
Judge Smyth then told the court that sexual communication had last over five months with nearly 10,000 texts sent over a period of a month.
The judge said Evans is a mother of two and she accepted that she is suffering distress because of the offending.
Evans was sentenced to four years, with half of the term to be spent in custody.
The judge said Evans would be disqualified from working with children and would be on the sex offenders register for life.
“There is no question that the defendant’s behaviour and the aftermath of the discovery of these offences have had a profound effect on this young victim and his family.”
Judge Patricia Smyth
Speaking outside court, Ms Duffie added: “As a result of the abuse he was subjected to, the victim has suffered greatly with mental health struggles and has shown immense bravery in bringing her to justice today.
“There is still a societal stigma surrounding male victims of abuse, especially that of a sexual nature.
“I hope today’s court outcome will showcase that young boys are just as vulnerable and that there is no shame for them to carry.
‘NEVER THE VICTIM’S FAULT’
“Suffering in silence is never the answer, abuse is never the victim’s fault.
“We will continue to work around the clock to bring child predators before the courts and would encourage anyone who may have been abused in a similar way to come forward.
“The passage of time doesn’t matter.
“Child abuse cannot continue in Northern Ireland, we will do everything in our power to stop predators in their tracks and get victims the justice they deserve.
“If there are any young people out there who have been targeted and abused in a similar way, please come forward to us.
“We will help and support you.”
SCHOOL STATEMENT
A spokesperson for Belfast Boys’ Model School said: “Following today’s sentencing, we recognise what a difficult and distressing time this has been for the young person and their family and our sincere thoughts go out to them.
“We fully understand the impact that this has caused throughout the wider school community and would reassure all pupils and staff that the protection, safety and wellbeing of our pupils continues to be our highest priority.
“We have robust safeguarding processes in place and, where concerns are raised, appropriate action is taken in conjunction with the relevant authorities.”
