Petra Shasha: former student teacher to fight child sex charges

A student teacher who allegedly had a sexual relationship with a teenage student has indicated she will fight all charges laid against her.

A Canberra trainee teacher will fight all child sex related charges laid against her.

Gowrie woman Petra Shasha, 26, fronted the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday facing charges of using a carriage service to transmit indecent material to a young person and committing an act of indecency on someone aged under 16.

She was also hit with a fresh charge of encouraging a young person to commit an act of a sexual nature.

Ms Shasha pleaded not guilty to all charges on Monday.

Petra Shasha (right) leaves the ACT Law Courts with her lawyer (left) on March 21 2022. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

The former student teacher was arrested last month by officers attached to ACT Policing’s Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team.

A statement from ACT Policing released on February 21 said they received a report about an “alleged inappropriate relationship between a female student teacher and a male student,” in December last year.

It is alleged Ms Shasha’s offending occurred between November 2020 and February this year.

Ms Shasha’s bail, which includes conditions to not contact the teenage boy and to avoid three Canberra schools, was continued.

The 26-year-old will return to court on June 3 for a pre-hearing mention.