A teacher faces jail after being found guilty of tying a boy to her bed and blindfolding him during a string of sexual acts. Deborah Franklin, 65, who taught at a preparatory school in Hertfordshire, was convicted on Wednesday of eight counts of gross indecency against the boy during the 1990s while he was aged between nine and 12.
Franklin, who was in her 30s and married at the time, was the boy’s private tutor and subjected him to “repeated sexual activity”, prosecutors told a trial at St Albans Crown Court. Jurors heard that she took her clothes off in front of the boy, kissed him, got him to touch her and performed multiple sexual acts.
Details of the Abuse
The court heard that the defendant was once seen by the complainant’s sister under the covers of her brother’s bed. The accuser said one sexual encounter took place in the garage at his house, when Franklin took off her clothes and asked, “Do you want to touch me?”, jurors heard.
On another occasion, at her own house, Franklin tied him to her bed, blindfolded him and tickled him, the complainant said. The accuser said that during another sex act, Franklin called out her husband’s name.
Abuse of Trust
Jurors heard that the complainant alleged the defendant described herself as his “girlfriend” but advised him to be discreet about others finding out. He said that he had “no memory of work ever being done” during tutoring sessions, the court heard. The court heard that Franklin was regularly at the complainant’s house, with his sister telling jurors of the defendant: “She was fun, she was charismatic. I thought she was cool.” The boy viewed her as “young” and “high energy”, who “presented like a mate” and spoke about drugs, cigarettes and sex, the court heard.
Franklin was “trusted” by the family to be in the boy’s room during tutoring sessions, prosecutor Gavin Pottinger said. But she was a woman “whose boundaries were just not there”, Mr Pottinger added.
Police Comment and Sentencing
Detective Constable Liz McGrath, who led the investigation, said: “Firstly, I wish to commend the bravery shown by the victim in reporting the allegations to the police and for the strength shown during the trial. This case demonstrates that however long ago a crime happened, we are committed to getting justice for victims. Franklin abused her position of trust and I welcome the jury’s guilty verdicts. We now await sentencing in October.”
