Ex-Teacher Who Sexually Abused Her 16-Year-Old Female Student Sentenced To Prison

Judge's Gavel. — A 42-year-old former teacher was charged despite her victim being of age since she was expected to look out for the teen victim. Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash CC0

KEY POINTS

The student was over the age of consent and not actually taught by the teacher at the time of the incident
The sexual activity was illegal because the victim was regarded to be under the teacher's "care, supervision or authority"
The teacher also coached some of the sports teams the victim was on

A 42-year-old former teacher at a West Australian school was sentenced to more than four years behind bars for abusing a 16-year-old female student.

The woman pleaded guilty to six child sex abuse charges and was convicted by a District Court jury of a seventh count last week, Australia's ABC reported. She was not named in the report to protect the identity of her victim.

The abuse took place more than a decade ago, over a period of eight months. It was the first same-sex experience of the woman, according to the report.

One of the offenses, a count of sexual penetration, was when the teenager lost her virginity, the court was told.

At the time, the victim, who was in her final year of school, was over the age of consent and not actually taught by the teacher.

However, the sexual activity was deemed illegal because the victim was regarded to be under the woman's "care, supervision or authority" due to her role as a teacher.

The then-teacher also served as a coach for some of the sports teams that the teen was on. The abuse allegedly started during one of their sports trips to the Great Southern region.

The other three incidents of abuse happened at the woman's home and car.

Judge John Prior said that the ex-teacher had been aware that what she was doing was "wrong and unlawful."

"I accept [the victim] was a willing participant, but she was 16, and you were 15 years older," Prior said to the woman. "I don't find there was any coercion, but there was a significant power imbalance."

"She was a vulnerable victim. She idolised you as a teacher ... and a friend," the judge added. "You committed the offenses for your own sexual gratification."

In the victim's impact statement, she said she felt "exploited and isolated" due to the abuse.

Judge Prior said that only an immediate jail term of four years and four months was appropriate for the gravity of the former teacher's offenses.

The woman will now be on the sex offenders register and will be required to serve two years and four months in prison before she is eligible for parole, The West Australian reported. The first and earliest time when she can be released will be in September 2025.