A former Isle of Wight teaching assistant accused of grooming a schoolboy allegedly warned him that she would be sacked if their contact was discovered, a jury has heard.
Melanie Rock, 34, of Arctic Road in Cowes, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Thursday) as her trial entered its 3rd day.
Jurors heard how Rock allegedly sent the boy an Instagram message stating: “Say you’re going to the skatepark, I’ll be sacked now if they find out, oh fk, oh fk.”
However, when questioned by Police about the exchange, Rock claimed she could not remember sending the messages.
Rock, who previously worked as a learning support assistant at Medina College – and before that at Carisbrooke College – denies charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming and abusing a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity with a boy.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place between October and November 2023, with Rock having entered formal not guilty pleas in October 2025, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Today, the jury heard evidence from DC Justin Pringle of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, who interviewed Rock following her arrest.
The court heard details of the questions put to Rock during the Police interview, along with responses given by both the defendant and her solicitor.
When asked why she had taken the boy to Pizza Hut, Rock told officers she “went into mum mode” after he said he “was hungry”. She also claimed to have been “concerned” for the boy but admitted she had not submitted a safeguarding report to the school.
During her interview, Rock also claimed that a fellow colleague had remarked: “I think he has a school boy crush.”
DC Pringle told the court that checks carried out on the boy’s phone showed he had entered Rock’s home and connected to her WiFi network. However, Rock told officers she was unsure how the teenager had obtained the WiFi password.
The jury also heard how Rock was questioned about a pair of hotpants she was alleged to have “paraded” around in, with the defendant claiming they belonged to her daughter.
Rock further claimed to have no idea how the boy had ended up on her bed and denied ever showing him the sex toys.
During the opening day of the trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Tim Devlin outlined the Crown’s case, alleging that Rock had showered the boy with gifts, taken him out for food and invited him into her home on several occasions.
The court heard how Rock had allegedly begun chatting to the boy on Instagram after attempts to obtain his phone number were rebuffed. The pair are said to have met outside school at locations including KFC and Pizza Hut, while the boy also allegedly visited Rock’s home on several occasions.
During those visits, the boy was allegedly shown a drawer in Rock’s bedroom “filled with sex toys” and saw her “parade around” in a pair of hotpants.
Rock is also accused of giving the boy money and vapes, as well as buying him designer Trapstar tracksuits worth more than £350. On one occasion, she allegedly slipped £20 into his pocket, telling him: “This is your Christmas money.”
The jury previously heard allegations that Rock had hugged the boy while wrapping her legs around him as the pair lay on her bed.
A video-recorded Police interview with the boy was played to the court on Tuesday, during which he described how Rock had “taken him under her wing” at school.
He told officers he had been surprised when she first messaged him because she was a teacher, while the incident involving the drawer of sex toys had made him feel the situation was “weird”.
The alleged offending came to light after a fellow member of staff spotted Rock and the boy together at Pizza Hut in Newport, prompting the relevant authorities, including Police, to be notified in the days that followed.
The trial continues.
