Former Ballarat High School music teacher Damien Woods comes fact to face with victim in court

The teenager groomed by former Ballarat High School music teacher Damien Woods has confronted him in court, saying his abuse robbed her of a childhood.

Ribbons tied to the gates of Ballarat High School after senior music teacher Damien Woods was stood down and charged. Picture: Supplied

A teenager groomed by a Ballarat teacher has told a court she was robbed of a childhood and burdened with shame and embarrassment from his vile abuse.

Former Ballarat High School music teacher Damien Woods, 49, came face-to-face with his victim during a plea hearing at the Ballarat County Circuit Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to 12 child sex offences.

The girl, who is now an adult, read a victim impact statement to the court detailing how she suffered flashbacks and nightmares that made her feel as if the abuse was still happening.

“I have this feeling all the time that I missed out on so much of my childhood,” she said.

“I was told by him whenever I had problems or felt upset, literally anything, I could go to him and nobody else, so I was alone.”

“I carry a burden of shame and embarrassment.”

The court heard Woods, who was employed at the school for 25 years and the head of performing arts, abused the girl over a fourth-month period but had years of contact with her prior to the assaults.

He preyed upon the vulnerable girl by becoming her confidante and offering mental health support.

They spoke in person and through messages before their conversations increasingly became sexual in nature.

Damien Woods, 47, who was the director of music at Ballarat High School for the past 25 years, had his teaching registration suspended by the state’s teaching regulator on January 24 after multiple students came forward with allegations of child sex abuse.

Woods would meet with the girl where the abuse, some of which took place in his car, developed from hugs and kissing to digital penetration.

The court heard Woods progressed from saying “I really trust you” and “I love you” to sending explicit images, with the pair exchanging 59,000 messages over the same period.

“The content of the messages demonstrates the progression of their relationship over time,” prosecutor Sandra MacDougall told the court.

In one instance, the teacher kissed the girl but said “I shouldn’t be doing this” and “this is really bad” before driving to another location where the abuse continued.

Woods later called the girl crying “uncontrollably” saying his wife believed he was having an affair and he “needed to prioritise his family”.

When they met the following day, Woods claimed he needed to stop but still wanted to be friends before he tried to kiss and hug her which she refused.

“The victim states that after that conversation ‘nothing really changed’,” Ms MacDougall said.

Woods also discussed having sex with the girl but told her they have to wait until she was 18.

Soon after, the girl began distancing herself from Woods and confided in a friend and her mother before reporting the abuse to police.

During his police interview, Woods downplayed his offending and denied being attracted to the girl or kissing her other than on the cheek, claiming he was more like a “father figure”.

He also said images he sent of his erect penis with underwear on was actually a carrot.

“You reading that stuff out there, it makes me sound like an absolute monster,” he told police when asked about other sexual messages.

“There is no way that I would hurt a kid like that, not a chance, not an absolute chance.”

Woods pleaded guilty to charges including sexual penetration, assault and activity in the presence of a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision or authority and possession and involving a child in the production of child abuse material.

Ms MacDougall said Woods’ offending was sustained over a lengthy period of time.

His lawyer Emily Clarke accepted her client would be jailed but asked for his bail to be extended as he had a medical appointment later this week.

“Mr Woods acknowledges the seriousness of the matters before the court and the harm he has caused,” she said.

“He really does take full responsibility for it.”

Woods will return to court next week.