Mother cleared in sex case

A mother-of-two from Shropshire has been cleared of having sex with a teenage boy she was caring for at a Mid Wales children's home.

Rebecca Gainham, formerly of Wellington, was told by Judge John Rogers, sitting at Mold Crown Court, her "previous excellent character remained intact".

Afterwards, the 32-year-old said she was delighted her innocence had been proved.

Miss Gainham had denied seven charges of sexual touching of a 16-year-old boy in her care, involving intercourse.

Judge Rogers yesterday told the jury he would direct them to find her not guilty of six of the seven charges - because she had by then left the home and was no longer in charge of the boy.

The trial continued for the rest of the afternoon on the one remaining charge, with Miss Gainham denying intercourse had taken place.

At the end of the day, in the absence of the jury, the judge refused a prosecution application to change the dates of the one remaining charge. Documents faxed to the court from the home showed she was not on duty when it was alleged she had sex with the boy during a "sleep-over" duty.

The judge said it was far too late to change the date, adding it changed the nature of the case she faced. Mr Simon Medland, prosecuting, said he had no option but to offer no evidence.

The jury cleared Miss Gainham of all charges.

After the hearing Miss Gainham said: "I have always said the allegations against me were not true. I am delighted the judge and jury found me not guilty."Miss Gainham, 32, a mother-of-two, formerly of Wellington, had been on trial since Monday but the judge had ruled she could not be identified.

He lifted the order yesterday, saying it was in the public interest and that of Miss Gainham that the result of the trial should be publicly reported.

Judge Rogers said there could be no criticism of the police or Crown Prosecution Service. It had been a thorough investigation, he said.

During the trial, the jury heard allegations the pair had sex at the care home and Miss Gainham's home.Defending barrister Jonathan Edwards claimed the boy was obsessed with Miss Gainham and had behaved in a threatening way towards her, her family and other members of staff.

In evidence, Miss Gainham said the boy turned up at her home drunk and uninvited, would not leave, caused damage and threatened to kidnap her children.

She had been forced to leave her home and live elsewhere because of him.

The allegations they had sex were not true, she said.