In the middle of summer, police knocked on the door of Rebecca Joynes' flat.
The apartment was part of a luxury complex with a 24-hour gym, cinema room, concierge and picturesque views of Salford Quays and Manchester United's home ground. It was also a crime scene.
Startled by the sudden knock at the door, Joynes quickly grabbed her phone and hit 'factory settings', in an attempt to delete any incriminating evidence. Minutes ticked by before she summoned the courage to open the door.
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But it was too late - her horrific crimes had already been uncovered. The Greater Manchester teacher, who had already been charged with sex offences against one student (Boy A), was being arrested for having sex - and becoming pregnant - by another (Boy B), reports the Manchester Evening News.
As the officers searched her flat, they were confronted with a disturbing reality. Scattered around the apartment were rose petals, a birthday card for the second teen (Boy B), handwritten notes and a baby grow.
It later transpired that Joynes had planned a date night to tell the boy that she was pregnant and he was the father. The red rose petals had been scattered around the flat, and used to form a large love heart on her bed.
The handwritten notes were hidden in various places. Officers discovered a series of them which read:
‘Now go to where I undercooked our pizza.’
‘Your first surprise is waiting for you where we spend more time in the summer.’
‘Where do we keep all of the goodies?’
‘Where do you go when I tell you to hurry up?’
‘Where do you like to aim your wee after sex?’
‘Find the final surprise where we should be having cuddles right now.'
Among the items discovered with the last note was a small baby grow with the phrase: 'I love my daddy to the moon and back'. Scattered around were packs of Pregnacare tablets, a playful 'sex scratchcard' from Ann Summers, along with a heart-felt birthday card penned by Joynes herself.
The touching message said: "To [Boy B], your kisses are the ones I long for. Every inch of you is perfect... I love you so much, forever and always."
The most poignant find in her white Audi A1 was a love letter directly addressed to Boy B. It started off with the words: "Hi baby, I know you are struggling right now.
"We are both extremely stressed but I really hope we can work something out together to keep things going well longer. I don't think you understand how much I really do love you.
"You genuinely are my whole world. You have no idea how perfect I think you are. You are all I have ever dreamed about - it's why I'm spending every second I can with you.
"When you get to the apartment you'll find some clues. I love you so much, I can't put it into words. Please stay by my side, baby. My world, I love you.."
Joynes, 30, has been found guilty on six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child at Manchester Crown Court after a two-week trial. She had denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the first boy, referred to as Boy A, was 'lying' about any sexual encounter.
In an attempt to cover her tracks, Joynes reset her phone to erase messages exchanged with Boy A. However, police managed to retrieve messages from his device, which detailed the lead-up to a shopping trip at Trafford Centre where she splurged £345 on a Gucci belt for him.
This was followed by a visit to her flat in Salford Quays where they engaged in sexual activities in October 2021. The relationship between Joynes and Boy A started when he requested her phone number.
Rather than acting appropriately as a teacher, Joynes gave him nine digits and challenged him to figure out the last one. Although she initially didn't respond to his call, a Snapchat conversation soon ensued.
“Are you going to ignore me then… I see how it is," Boy A messaged her.
‘I don’t like [school subject], get too distracted now,” he said.
“It better had be from the work,” Joynes messaged.
“Of course Miss, what else would it be,” Boy A replied.
“Good [emoji]”, she sent back.
“Am I coming later or no?” he asked.
“You better had come now you told me you are,” she said.
Then she arranged to take him to the Trafford Centre for a shopping trip after he saw her Snapchat story and asked her: “When are you taking me?”. Later, when joking about another pupil joining them, the boy said: “I had better be the only one.”
“Obviously it’s only you,” she wrote back.
Boy A said: “As it should be. Best student if you ask me.”
Joynes replied: “That’s debatable.”
And in another exchange, Boy A said: “Are you asleep?”
Joynes: “Nope. Why? X”
This laid the groundwork for her calculated manipulation of Boy A, beginning with the Trafford Centre outing, where she splurged on a £345 Gucci belt from Selfridges for him. She then brought him back to her flat and had sex with him. His mother would later spot a love bite on his neck.
Several months on, following her arrest over allegations relating to Boy A and her subsequent suspension from her teaching job, she initiated conversation with Boy B via Snapchat and before inviting him to her flat. They had sex and an 18-month long relationship began.
In April 2022 she became pregnant with their daughter - but, within hours of her revealing the news to Boy B on a ‘date night’, complete with food from Pizza Express, love notes and rose petals, the police were knocking at the door of the apartment where she abused both victims.
In the trial that followed, while she claimed that she hadn’t had sex with Boy A, she claimed she only got into a relationship with Boy B after he had turned 16, after he had left school and after she was dismissed from her post.
The jury didn’t believe her. She will be sentenced in July.
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