Adelaide model Megan Skye Blancada jailed for ‘breathtakingly brazen’ sexual abuse, grooming of 14-year-old boy

An Adelaide model and actor’s “breathtakingly brazen” sexual abuse of a teen boy has been exposed in court, as she struggled not to vomit in the dock.

Megan Skye Blancada told the world she was a “beauty icon”, and told a 14-year-old boy that he made her “hot and horny” when he wore his school uniform.

Caught sexting, manipulating and abusing the vulnerable boy, the married mother of one insisted she had learnt to “regulate” her “impulsivity”, and did not need to go to jail.

On Wednesday, as she awaited sentence, Blancada complained about media attention of her case, saying “there’s only so long you can have sympathy for the victim”.

Minutes later, she struggled to stand in the District Court dock and appeared to be fighting the urge to vomit as she was jailed for more than five years.

Judge Anthony Allen ordered she serve at least two-and-half years behind bars, saying her claimed cognitive issues could only explain, but never excuse, her offending.

“This can only be described as breathtakingly brazen behaviour,” he said.

Megan Skye Blancada. Picture: Supplied

Megan Skye Blancada leaves Adelaide Magistrates Court after an earlier appearance.

“It was persistent, and invasive, and occurred over a relatively long period of time.

“Your victim was only 14 years old, you were 21 years older, more than twice his age.

“To impose a bond to be of good behaviour would fail to give proper effect to the purposes of sentencing.”

Blancada, 39, of Salisbury East, pleaded guilty to having sexually abused the boy during a traumatic two-year period of his life.

However, the model, author, actor and reality TV contestant also blamed undiagnosed mental illness for her crimes, arguing she should therefore be spared jail.

In January, the boy told the court Blancada was “the worst thing that had happened” to him, and had “manipulated me, used me and raped me”.

In sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Allen said an “extremely concerning” aspect of Blancada’s offending was that her four physical crimes against the boy occurred against a background of continuous sexting.

“This consisted of what can only be described as classic grooming behaviour,” he said.

“Only two days before your victim was interviewed by police, you sent him an image of yourself exposing your breasts with text saying ‘f**k, that was so hot’.

Model, actress, influencer and small-time movie star Megan Skye Blancada. Picture: Facebook

Megan Skye Blancada leaves the District Court after claiming undiagnosed mental illness is responsible for her sexual abuse of a boy, 16. Picture: Sean Fewster

“Police subsequently found on your phone the internet search terms ‘having sex with underage’ and ‘sexual with relationship with 14-year-old’.”

Judge Allen said he did not doubt a psychological report that concluded Blancada had offended out of a need for emotional fulfilment given her marital difficulties, fraught relationship with her own mother, and borderline personality disorder.

He said he also agreed with Blancada’s own description of her offending, to that report writer, as “ego-driven”.

However, he said none of that diminished her moral or criminal culpability or having destroyed the lives of her victim and his family.

The fact she did not meet the diagnosis for pedophilia, he said, did not lessen the need to publicly denounce her crimes nor punish her for them.

He sentenced Blancada to five years, one month and six days’ jail, with a non-parole of two years, five months and 30 days.

Judge Allen ordered that sentence begin immediately, and, as Blancada was led to the cells, issued a stern warning.

“You are never to have anything to do with your victim ever again,” he said.