Female Former Teacher Pleads Guilty in County Court to Sex with Teenage Girl

Herald Sun
November 23, 2012

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/teacher-pleads-guilty-in-county-court-to-sex-with-teenage-girl/story-e6frf7kx-1226522772055

A FEMALE Sunday school teacher who sexually abused a teenage girl in her care was seeking comfort and solace, a court has heard.

The devout Mormon, who cannot be named, repeatedly kissed and touched the girl in the Huntingdale home she shared with her sick husband and three children.

Prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams told the County Court the teacher, now 39, met the victim when she was 11 through the Mormon church, where she led a Sunday school and youth group.

When the girl was 15, she moved in with the woman – who was also a senior school teacher – and her family, following her parents' separation.

The court heard the woman would visit the girl in the living room, where she slept on a pull-out sofa bed, around three to five nights a week.

Mr McWilliams said the woman would get into the bed and passionately kiss the teen, rubbing her hands all over her body.

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On a number of occasions, including one in a spa in Daylesford on a weekend away, the woman sexually penetrated the girl.

Mr McWilliams said the sexual relationship ended a few months later after the victim asked for it to stop.

The court heard said the woman later gave the girl a letter of apology, saying she was wrong and shouldn't have used the teen.

The victim continued to live with the woman and her three sons for more than a year, when she reported the abuse to staff at Box Hill Hospital.

Defence lawyer Phil Dunn said after being interviewed by police the woman resigned from her teaching job and informed the church of her actions.

She was admonished by her bishop, told to change her place of worship and banned from receiving sacrament – the most severe penalty short of excommunication – he said.

Mr Dunn told the court the woman was “not very worldly” and that she had led "a cloistered existence" after investing her life in religion.

He said at the time of the offending she was not coping with her dissolving marriage, financial woes or her husband’s medical problems.

Her moral compass, “normally very strong because she is a committed Christian”, was overwhelmed and she fell off the tracks, the court heard.

Mr Dunn said the woman and the 15-year-old girl talked for hours at night as confidantes.

"Committed as she was, she buckled. She buckled seeking comfort and solace," he said.

Mr Dunn said the woman "has never smoked, never drank, never taken drugs, never sworn" and had difficulties teaching texts containing swear words.

A former teaching colleague said the degree to which she knew nothing of the world and how it worked was “almost inexplicable” and she was horrified by her own actions.

"I've never seen anyone more undone at what they've done," the woman told the court through tears.

Mr Dunn said the woman loved teaching, something she would never do again, and now worked in a rubber factory to support her children.

He said, although she initially brought up issues of consent and initiation during a police interview, she now accepted total responsibility for the offences.

He also submitted her diagnosed depression reduced her moral culpability for the crimes.

Around 30 people – including the woman’s parents, family and former colleagues – were in court.

They turned and watched as the woman was led out of the dock and taken into custody for the first time.

She gave one last look over her shoulder before she disappeared from view.

The victim was not present, though the court heard she had continued to make contact with the woman via phone and other messages.

The woman, who pleaded guilty to five charges – including sexual penetration of a child under her care and committing an indecent act with a child - will be sentenced on December 4.

The prosecutor suggested the woman be jailed for up to four years, with a non-parole period of at least 18 months.