Rebecca Williams, 21, was spared an immediate jail term by a judge

A school teaching assistant had sex with a 15-year-old boy after telling him: "Age is just a number." Rebecca Williams made contact with the teenager online and they exchanged flirtatious messages and told one another: "You're fit," a court heard.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards told Mold Crown Court the 21-year-old defendant had picked up the boy in her car one weekend and took him to her home. “They watched TV before the defendant took him to her bedroom,” he said. “He described the first time as a little awkward.”

The court heard the pair kissed and had sex and the boy stayed overnight. Mr Edwards said Williams had later messaged the boy asking to meet up again. They went straight upstairs to her bedroom and had sex. But the court heard Williams wanted more of a relationship and the victim ended up blocking her on messaging apps.

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Mr Edwards said :”Rumours started circulating among staff that the defendant had slept with a pupil. The head of the school questioned the defendant directly about the information. The defendant denied anything untoward had gone on.”

Social services and police were alerted and the boy confirmed the pair had had sex. The prosecutor added that some of the messages between them must have been exchanged on school grounds.

Jemma Gordon, defending, said Williams had been quizzed early last year and confessed. But a postal requisition for the case was only sent in January. Williams admitted two offences of sexual activity with a boy of 15 and abusing a position of trust.

Williams had a new job in construction, working all over the country, and was doing well, the court was told. She was also receiving help for her mental health. She was described in a pre-sentence report as “a low risk of re-offending.” Miss Gordon added: ”She’s in a new relationship which has helped her.”

Judge Nicola Saffman imposed a 12-month suspended jail term with rehabilitation and 150 hours unpaid work. Williams, who showed no emotion in the dock, has to pay £576 costs, must register as a sex offender for 10 years, and can’t work with children again.

Judge Saffman said there had been “grooming”. She told Williams, of Gerddi Arfonia, Criccieth, Gwynedd: ”You knew what you were doing. You were working up to engage in a sexual relationship with him.”

The boy broke off the relationship with her but the defendant was keen to carry on. “Some of the messages were carried out on school grounds which is an aggravating feature,” Judge Saffman said. But the judge acknowledged there was a delay in the case and she had rehabilitated herself.