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Sydney Grammar School teacher, 33, pleads guilty to having sex with 17-year-old student

EXCLUSIVE: A female teacher, 33, who had a tawdry affair with a 17-year-old student at one of Sydney’s most prestigious schools had been repeatedly warned about inappropriate behaviour with students.

The Sydney Grammar teacher pleaded guilty to having sex with the student nine times, including in classrooms.
The Sydney Grammar teacher pleaded guilty to having sex with the student nine times, including in classrooms.

A FEMALE teacher at an elite Sydney private school who had sex with a schoolboy and encouraged him to write down his sexual fantasies had been repeatedly warned for years about her inappropriate behaviour around students.

The former Sydney Grammar School teacher, 33, has pleaded guilty in Downing Centre Local Court to having sex with a 17-year-old student nine times, including in classrooms during school hours, between January and March last year.

Agreed facts tendered in the case revealed the teacher, who worked at the Darlinghurst-based school for eight years, had been “formally reminded” about her conduct on various ­occasions, including in 2013 when her “inappropriate behaviour towards students” led to a warning not to make “sexual references” to the boys.

A former Sydney Grammar School teacher, 33, has pleaded guilty in Downing Centre Local Court to having sex with a 17-year-old student nine times. Picture: John Grainger
A former Sydney Grammar School teacher, 33, has pleaded guilty in Downing Centre Local Court to having sex with a 17-year-old student nine times. Picture: John Grainger

The following year the teacher was reprimanded for forming an “overly close pastoral role with a male student with a mental health problem”.

Court papers reveal that in 2015 the woman became involved with the victim — another male student — after both became involved in a school play and began to contact each other outside of school hours in relation to rehearsals.

“In late 2015 the offender gave the complainant poems and letters. The poems included themes of love, intimacy, death, and suicide,” the Court heard. On November 20, 2015 the boy attempted to commit suicide in the school bathrooms.

In January the following year the teacher and the student began having a sexual relationship after the woman invited him to her home for lunch, where the boy drank three beers before she began kissing him.

“He repeatedly said to her, “I can’t” ... The offender responded to the complainant in a dismissive way saying, “what do you mean you can’t?” the facts state.

April 1
TEACHER

I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. Sometimes it feels like I can’t breathe. All I can do is despise myself for having hurt you.

April 1
TEACHER

I’m a f---ing monster but I’m so, so, so sorry.

April 14
TEACHER

Teacher: I just ran into XXX (name of friend of victim). Does he know?

STUDENT

Yeah he does.

TEACHER

Am I going to go to gaol?

STUDENT

No you're not.

April 14
TEACHER

I am absolutely terrified that the story of us will get out, and you’re the only one with any control over that. And lastly, of course, because I love you. I loved you so much it is killing me.

April 24
TEACHER

All I know is it only takes one person to tell one person and this turns into a rumour. If that rumour reaches staff or parents there’ll be a police investigation.

STUDENT

We did both love each other for some time, and I’m not forgetting that. This isn’t a gesture of friendship because while not distancing myself I shan’t make attempts towards the opposite either. Call it compassion if you want but that makes it sound like you’re a victim here, which isn’t a particularly helpful approach, nor accurate in my mind.

During February and March last year the pair arranged secret meetings in classrooms and storage areas to have sex. “The ­offender made the complainant write sexual fantasies for her.”

The facts state the schoolboy, “was scared to end the sexual ­relationship with the offender because he ... was worried she would self-harm.”

Eventually in April last year the boy told her he wanted to sever contact but she continued to send him text messages until September.

In a long text message on April 11 in which she begged his forgiveness she wrote: “It is going to come out and destroy everyone else I love as well. I’m a f---ing monster.”

Three days later she texted, “Am I going to jail?” to which the boy replied, “no you’re not.”

Court facts state that after ­repeatedly being contacted by the teacher the boy told at least six friends.

The teacher was arrested on October 24.

On Tuesday she pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual intercourse with a minor who was under her care and one count of aggravated indecent assault.

Magistrate Greg Grogin placed her on a two-year apprehended violence order preventing her from trying to contact the former student. Her bail was continued and she will be sentenced at a later date.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-grammar-school-teacher-33-pleads-guilty-to-having-sex-with-17yearold-student/news-story/f5dbb55ff85b00ec8cafb2d3de3fe154