A teaching assistant who groomed and engaged a schoolboy in sexual intercourse and told him “age is just a number” was spared jail today.

Rebecca Williams, 21, sent flirty messages to the boy telling him “you’re fit” before taking him to her home in Criccieth, Gwynedd, Wales. 

This was after online contact and messages escalated into her flirting with him, Mold Crown Court heard.

Mold Crown Court heard that Williams picked up the 15-year-old pupil in her car before she engaged him in sexual intercourse

Williams then asked to meet up again, taking him upstairs for a second encounter, before she pressured the boy into more  intense grooming

But her victim blocked her on messaging apps after rumours started circulating amongst staff at the school. 

He said they watched TV before they had sex and the teen stayed overnight.

She would later message him again, asking to meet up once more, when they would sex again.

However, despite her crimes, Williams was spared any jail time.

As well as being slapped with a 12 month suspended sentence, she was handed a £576 fine and told to register as a sex offender for ten years.

She now works in construction.

The court was told that Williams wanted more of a relationship with the teen and the victim blocked her on messaging apps.

Williams admitted two offences of sexual activity with a boy and abusing a position of trust.

Mr Edwards said :”Rumours started circulating that the defendant had slept with a school boy.

“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 later confirmed they had sex

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