Court told school worker urged teenager to conceal alleged relationship
A school support worker has been accused of grooming a 15-year-old pupil by taking him to restaurants, buying him expensive items, and showing him sex toys and handcuffs at her home. Melanie Rock, 34, a communication support assistant at Medina College on the Isle of Wight, allegedly begged the teenager to hide their relationship and delete their Instagram messages after the school became aware of the meetings. She has pleaded not guilty to charges including sexual grooming and sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
The court heard that Rock took the boy to fast food outlets including Pizza Hut, McDonald's and KFC over several months, later claiming she did so because the teenager said he was hungry. CCTV footage captured them together at multiple locations, and police recovered Instagram messages in which Rock repeatedly pleaded with the boy not to reveal her name, writing messages such as 'I beg you, don't say my name' and 'Please I beg, do not mention me, because I would be done.' During cross-examination, Rock claimed she could not remember key events, though she acknowledged CCTV showed her with the teenager.
- School support worker accused of grooming 15-year-old pupil at Isle of Wight college.
- Allegedly begged teenager to hide relationship and delete Instagram messages when discovered.
- Trial ongoing; CCTV and recovered messages presented as evidence despite her denials.
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An accusation of grooming typically involves an adult building a close relationship with a young person through gifts and attention to establish trust. When such allegations involve a school staff member and a pupil, they are considered particularly serious because of the power imbalance and the adult's position of trust.
Melanie Rock, a communication support assistant at a school on the Isle of Wight, is accused of forming an inappropriate relationship with a fifteen-year-old pupil in her care. The allegations include taking the teenager to restaurants and buying him items, along with more serious claims of sexual conduct.
She has pleaded not guilty to charges including grooming and sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. The case is currently being heard in court.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “School worker ‘begged’ 15-year-old pupil to hide her identity and delete their Instagram messages, court told”.