**Teacher Accused of Pressuring Teen Into Sexual Relationship, Court Hears**
A teacher from Barry, who also served as the director of an amateur dramatics group, has been accused of coercing a teenage boy into a sexual relationship, Cardiff Crown Court has heard. The allegations, which centre on Jonathan Coombs, 54, have shocked the local community and drawn attention to the responsibilities and expectations placed upon individuals in positions of trust, particularly within educational institutions.
During proceedings on Tuesday, the court was told that Mr Coombs, a performing arts teacher at Pencoedtre High School, is alleged to have established an “inappropriate” relationship with the teenager. According to the prosecution, this relationship involved the exchange of gifts such as money, a teddy bear, and aftershave, and is said to have escalated to sexual intercourse and oral sex.
It was further claimed that Coombs sought to conceal the relationship, instructing the boy to delete all records of sexual messages exchanged between them across various social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp. The court heard Coombs allegedly warned the boy that their lives “would be ruined” if the relationship were exposed, underscoring the gravity of the allegations and the power imbalance highlighted by prosecutors.
Coombs, who lives on Clos Celyn in Barry, has denied all seven charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. His defence maintains there was no sexual impropriety towards the boy in question. The case hinges on whether the jury accepts the prosecution’s account of events.
Prosecutor Roger Griffiths, presenting the case to the jury, described how the purported relationship developed over time. The boy, who the court heard referred to Coombs as his “gay guru”, described feeling increasingly trapped as “things got weirder and weirder”. He recounted several incidents where Coombs is said to have leaned in to kiss him, and explained that attempts to extract himself from the situation were unsuccessful.
In one significant episode outlined in court, Coombs reportedly took the boy to see a theatre production in Cardiff, before visiting a gay bar where the boy became intoxicated. It is alleged that later that evening, Coombs took him back to his home and made sexually explicit demands. The boy stated that he was given “poppers”, which induced feelings of light-headedness, and that Coombs subsequently tried to have sex with him, resulting in the boy screaming in pain and falling to the floor.
The court further heard that Coombs allegedly attempted to manipulate the teenager’s emotions, at one point threatening to take his own life should the boy break off contact. The boy also described an incident in which Coombs allegedly threw a drink over him and tried to punch him, telling the teenager to return all the gifts he had previously been given.
After the relationship came to light, it is alleged Coombs reiterated that the boy should erase electronic communication between them to avoid exposure of their involvement. During a police interview—later played in court—the alleged victim spoke of his feelings, expressing disbelief and distress in hindsight, saying: “Terrible, when I look back now, I can’t believe it’s something that happened. I’ve never thought it would be like me… How did that situation come?”
Following Coombs’ arrest, investigating officers were successful in retrieving certain online messages, some of which were described in court as containing graphic content and explicit requests for sexual favours. Such digital evidence, if verified, could have a significant impact on the case.
The trial is ongoing, with the jury set to consider both the written and oral evidence presented. The court’s decision, once reached, may have broader implications for safeguarding procedures and the monitoring of teacher-student relationships in schools across Wales.
Wales Online will continue to follow this trial closely, bringing further updates as the case progresses through the courts.