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Thursday May 24, 2012

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Lesbian fling lands teacher in jail

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 3 February, 2012 - 3:30 PM
Justice law order courts

A Melbourne high school teacher has been jailed for three years for having a sexual relationship with a female student.

But controversy has erupted in the County Court this morning after the sentencing judge proposed to delay the start of the female teacher's sentence in case of an appeal.

Judge Michael McInerney this morning jailed the woman, 29, who can only be referred to as STC, for three years and ordered that she immediately serve eight months of that sentence with 28 months suspended.

STC pleaded guilty to committing an indecent act with a child aged 16 and four counts of sexual penetration of a child aged 16 under her care, supervision or authority.

In sentencing, Judge McInerney said the offences occurred between November 2010 and January 2011. He said that STC and the girl had had “an intense relationship” since at least March 2010.

Judge McInerney described the relationship as being one between a precocious student and a teacher who had become infatuated with her student.

In one month the pair sent 535 text messages to each other. In one the student wrote: “Im pressing myself against you, kissing you deeply. Your lips lock with mine. You're my best friend and I won't stop loving you. I will help your healing. I love you. Always with you, you are beautiful”.

Judge McInerney said the teacher had stayed at the student's while her parents were there and on other occasions the student had sneaked out of home to meet the teacher in nearby parks where they performed sexual acts on each other.

Judge McInerney said that STC's offending had been aggravated, in his view, because she had been warned about inappropriate relationships with students, and had denied having one.

She received a letter of warning from a superior which she then sent to the student.

The student then sent a text message to STC saying she was “so sorry” with what had happened and that “I love you”.

Judge McInerney said the offences were serious because of the breach of trust that had occurred and the differences in age and maturity.

Judge McInerney accepted a defence submission that STC's offending was linked to her psychosexual immaturity.

He also said that there was no suggestion STC had been violent or had degraded the girl.

Judge McInerney said that despite medical issues, immediate jail time was warranted.

The victim said that she saw the sexual activity as a healing and loving thing.

An earlier suggestion by judge McInerney to delay the start of STC's sentence, pending a possible appeal, was rebuffed this afternoon after defence counsel Sarah Leighfield said that STC wanted to start her sentence today.

- Adrian Lowe, The Age

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Blog comments Your Say

  • This woman has been found guilty of a crime and yet she cannot be publicly named? Is she the victim here? Is that because she's a woman or because she's a lesbian? A glaring example of one rule for one and another rule for others. Our children, young and impressionable as they are are increasingly becoming the victims of preditory teachers and nobody cares.

    Protecting the Guilty Monday 6 February, 2012 - 2:09 PM

  • Males and females are very different. People need to accept that.

    A man going for a young girl is different than a woman in a relationship with another woman (she is 16, past puberty and at the general age of consent in most places), but people don't seem to realize this. Because of hormones and brain differences, men are naturally more prone to look at girls for one thing: sex. Women look for emotional support first and foremost in relationships. There is no way to argue this.

    The girl didn't seem to be psychologically affected: she said the relationship was loving and healing for her. I don't think the teacher deserves much jail time, if any.

    thisiswrong Sunday 5 February, 2012 - 6:23 PM

  • What happened to Ted abolishing suspended sentence? There's been at least two handed down in the last 24 hours and he's been in for well over a year with a majority in both houses.

    Mylene Saturday 4 February, 2012 - 10:44 AM

  • A homosexual offence upon a pubescent child is more damaging than a heterosexual offence. Offences committed upon one to whom a duty of care is due makes the offence more onerous. it would take some time to determine the extent this experience has confused the girls sexuality.

    Jo Saturday 4 February, 2012 - 10:41 AM

  • speechless at the prejudice!

    Shinzu Yujiaki Friday 3 February, 2012 - 4:11 PM

  • What an absolute joke,why suspend 28 months?? if this was a male teacher he would be in there by now and copped the lot>!!

    Steve Friday 3 February, 2012 - 4:00 PM

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