Teacher who called her husband's name during sex act with young boy is jailed

Teacher who called her husband's name during sex act with young boy is jailed Deborah Franklin subjected the boy, who was aged between nine and 12, to 'repeated sexual activity' during the 1990s, including tying him to her bed and blindfolding him A teacher has been jailed after tying a young boy to her bed and blindfolding him during a string of sex acts. Deborah Franklin, 65, subjected the boy to "repeated sexual activity" while he was aged between nine and 12 in the 1990s. She was today jailed for seven years. The victim, who first reported the incidents to police in 2024 and is now in his 40s, described how Franklin, who was married at the time, tied him to her bed and blindfolded him during one encounter. He also told how she called out her husband’s name during another. He today told how his life had been shaped by the abuse he suffered as a child. St Albans Crown Court previously heard she was the boy’s private tutor. Franklin, 65, who was in her 30s at the time of the offences, took her clothes off in front of the boy, kissed him, got him to touch her and performed multiple sexual acts. Franklin, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, had denied all the charges, saying she could not remember tutoring the boy. However she was convicted of eight counts of gross indecency against the boy. The former tutor, who also taught at a preparatory school in Hertfordshire, was today jailed for a total of seven years at St Albans Crown Court and will be subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. She must serve two thirds of her sentence before being released on licence. Speaking after her jail sentence today, the victim, who is entitled to lifelong anonymity, said: "I have carried the abuse with me throughout my life. It has been a constant shadow. Sometimes in the foreground and sometimes in the background, but always present. My life has been shaped by what happened to me when I was boy. "I hope this case leads to greater awareness that women can be perpetrators of sexual abuse and boys can be victims. "Abuse of boys should never be dismissed, minimised or treated as less serious than abuse of girls. The emotional and psychological consequences can be equally serious and long-lasting. "I also hope this case helps other men who experienced abuse as boys, particularly at the hands of women, to recognise that what happened to them matters. It is never too late to speak about it or to ask for help." The court previously heard Franklin was regularly at the complainant’s house, with his sister telling jurors: “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. Franklin was “trusted” by the family to be in the boy’s room during tutoring sessions, prosecutor Gavin Pottinger said. But Franklin was a woman “whose boundaries were just not there”, Mr Pottinger added. She was once spotted 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?” On another occasion, at her own house, Franklin tied him to her bed, blindfolded him and tickled him. The accuser said that during another sex act, Franklin called out her husband’s name. The complainant said Franklin 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. Speaking after today's sentencing hearing, Detective Constable Liz McGrath, who led the investigation, said: "Firstly, I wish to commend the victim for his courage in coming forward and reporting these crimes to the police. "This investigation was challenging and complex because it involved allegations of child sexual abuse dating back more than 30 years. As with many non-recent cases, the passage of time meant that forensic opportunities were no longer available and memories had inevitably faded. "As a result, the investigation relied heavily on the credibility and consistency of witnesses. "The case was further complicated by Franklin’s claim that she barely remembered the complainant, her denial of all allegations and her previous good character with a longstanding career in education. Investigators were required to carefully balance the evidence supporting the complainant's account against material presented by the defence to ensure a fair and thorough investigation. "From an investigative and safeguarding perspective, cases involving female offenders can present additional challenges because misconceptions and stereotypes about victims and offenders may discourage disclosure, delay reporting, and affect how victims understand and articulate their experiences. "The impact of sexual abuse by a woman in a position of trust can be profound and life-long for male victims, impacting trust, relationships, self-esteem, anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms."