Teen felt 'trapped' in relationship with teacher - court
BBCA 54-year-old secondary school teacher "emotionally blackmailed" a teenager and threatened to kill himself if their relationship ended, a court has heard.
Jonathan Coombs, from Barry, was a drama teacher at Pencoedtre Comprehensive and involved in various drama groups at the time of the alleged sexual offences, which took place between November 2022 and April 2023.
The teenager told Cardiff Crown Court he felt trapped by Mr Coombs, adding that Mr Coombs told him if anyone found out about their relationship it would "ruin both of their lives".
Mr Coombs denies seven counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
Opening the case, prosecutor Roger Griffiths KC told the jury Mr Coombs admitted having sex with the teenager during a party after one production.
They had started exchanging messages which were friendly at first but became suggestive, the court heard, with Mr Coombs telling the teenager he was his "Gay Guru".
He would be invited to Mr Coombs house and on one occasion they began kissing.
The teenager described the situation to police as getting "weirder and weirder".
He said on one occasion when he tried to stop what was happening, Mr Coombs threatened to commit suicide.
"I couldn't deal with that, " he said, describing feeling trapped.
Mr Coombs would buy tickets to see shows and they would go together and engage in oral sex either in side streets or in the car.
Following one show the complainant went to Coombs' house and agreed to have sex with him but he said he was drunk when he did so.
In the following days the teenager received messages from Mr Coombs which made him "feel sick", the court heard.
He said Mr Coombs warned him that they would both get into trouble if anyone found out and it would ruin both their lives.
The court heard they had a public argument following a local drama performance, when Mr Coombs accused him of being ungrateful and threw a drink over him.
On being asked what had happened the jury was told that Mr Coombs said: "I could lose my job because of this but I don't care, we slept together."
In a police interview played in court the teenager said Coombs had made him feel sorry for him with stories about his parents getting old and a former boyfriend beating him up.
He said Mr Coombs used emotional blackmail when he tried to end what was happening.
"He said If anyone did find out we'd both be in trouble and when I tried to end it he said, I never wanted to fall in love with you, I didn't mean for it to happen."
The police interviewer can be heard asking if the teenager believed he was in a relationship with Mr Coombs, to which he answered "no".
The same interview heard Mr Coombs would insist on giving him money in cards but wouldn't sign his name instead he would write "from your one and only".
He said he must have had £500 from him.
"He would give me the card and it would lead to something sexual," he said.
"I thought I had to give him something now, I felt that he expected it, that's why he started to give me stuff."
Mr Coombs denies any sexual impropriety with the teenager.