Jury retires in Hertfordshire teacher sex abuse trial

Sally-Anne Bowen, 65, of Hemel Hempstead, is alleged to have indecently assaulted both boys when they were aged around 14 to 15 and she was in her mid-20s, her trial at Harrow Crown Court heard.

She taught chemistry at the all-boys Christ’s College in Finchley, north London.

One complainant alleged he had sex with the teacher "about 20 or 30 times" over several months, would visit her at her home, considered her to be his girlfriend and had fallen in love.

Sally-Anne Bowen arrives at Harrow Crown Court, where she is accused of indecently assaulting two boys in 1980s. (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)

In his evidence, the man – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told jurors some of the sexual acts Bowen asked him to participate in were "perverse", and he denied the defence's suggestion that he was "a fantasist".

He also told jurors he kept the relationship secret because he felt compelled to "protect" the teacher, who had "drummed it" into him that he was not allowed to tell anyone.

"I never, ever spoke to anyone about it," he said.

"I was always really aware, she drummed it into me. Years she got to teach, because I remained silent."

The second complainant alleged he and Bowen kissed once in a café when he was "goaded" into it by other boys.

Jurors were also told Bowen would dress in a way that was "sexually provocative" at school, with a former pupil telling the trial she acted like she was in "a Sabrina Carpenter video" while in the classroom.

"She dressed and behaved more like my teenage female friends than the other teachers," former pupil Tobias Oliver, who did not know the two alleged victims, told the court in his evidence.

"The topics of conversation in class often strayed away from chemistry and became quite sexual."

In her evidence, Bowen denied ever interacting with pupils in a sexual or inappropriate manner, describing the first complainant's allegations as "total fabrication".

"There was no sexual activity, he’s made this story up," Bowen told jurors, adding: "I think he certainly had a crush on me at school."

In her first police interview in January 2015, Bowen described the first complainant as "a nuisance" and "besotted", and said his accusations formed part of "a fantasy", jurors were told.

Bowen also told the court she had a medical condition which, in the late 1980s, had not been diagnosed, and which made sexual intercourse difficult and painful for her.

Jurors heard a consultant gynaecologist instructed by the defence concluded, following an internal examination of Bowen, that "the alleged sexual activities were feasible", although could be painful.

Bowen told the trial she does not remember the second complainant and does not know who he is.

She said she drew a lot of attention from students at the school because she was young and one of the only female teachers, but added she had ignored it.

"It was not a huge problem – I would hear comments as I walked past and I ignored them, they didn’t result in me being hassled or harassed," she said.

Bowen denies seven counts of indecent assault against two boys.