Former teacher Lina Costanzo found not guilty of historical child sexual abuse allegations

A former teacher who had been accused of the historical sexual abuse of three children has been found not guilty of all charges.

A former teacher and Education Department coordinator has been found not guilty of the alleged historical abuse of three children.

Lina Costanzo, 52, of Tranmere, was a teacher and department staffer for more than 30 years before her arrest in late 2021.

At the time, she was directed away from her job at the department.

Prosecutors had told the jury Ms Costanzo was accused of three separate counts of knowingly maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with three “essentially primary school aged” children.

The jury had been told the allegations concerned two girls and a boy and were alleged to have occurred over a period spanning about a decade from the late 1980s in varying suburbs around Adelaide.

None of the three complainants were ever students of Ms Costanzo, who has worked in education since the early 1990s.

After a three week trial, the jury returned unanimously not guilty verdicts to each charge.

In her opening remarks, Marie Shaw KC, had told the jury to keep an open mind throughout the trial.

Lina Costanzo outside the District Court. Picture: Newswire / Brenton Edwards

“The defence case is my client is innocent, these allegations did not occur,” she had told the jury.

Ms Costanzo took the stand in her defence during the trial and responded “no” when asked if she had sexually touched any of the alleged victims.

She also responded “no” when asked if she ever had any of the children engage in any sexual contact.

In her closing address to the jury Mrs Shaw said her client “did not in any way interfere” with any of the three alleged victims.

Ms Shaw had also told the jury there had been a considerable delay between the alleged offending and her client being charged and facing trial, creating a forensic disadvantage for Ms Costanzo.

She said her client had been known as a hardworking, diligent and caring teacher who had “respect for children” throughout her career in Catholic and public education.