Sale Secondary College teacher Monique Ooms ‘ridiculed’ on street after admitting sex with student

Melbourne teacher Monique Ooms has escaped jail after a judge ruled losing her teaching career and being ‘subjected to threats on the street’ was punishment enough.

Sale Secondary College teacher Monique Ooms, 31, escapes jail after having sex with student. Picture: Supplied

A Sale Secondary College teacher has been ostracised from the community, yelled at on the street and refused service in the supermarket, after she admitted having a sexual relationship with a teenage student.

Monique Ooms, 31, will never be able to set foot in a classroom again after she was convicted on Friday over four acts of sexual penetration with the young male under her care or supervision between July 1 and August 8 last year.

But she was spared jail in the Latrobe Valley County Court in Morwell with Judge John Smallwood citing her fragile mental health and outlining the litany of extra-curial punishment she had already suffered.

Not only had she lost her teaching career, but he said she had been “ridiculed”, “yelled at” and “subjected to threats on the street”.

Ooms was also forced to resign from jobs she had gained at a local pharmacy and pub, he said, after community members said they would boycott those places if she continued working there.

Sale Secondary College teacher Monique Ooms, 31, yelled at and ridiculed on street, court hears. Picture: Supplied

She had to hide herself from the public, give up her volunteer work with the CFA after her membership was suspended and had been refused service at the supermarket.

“It’s been extremely difficult for you,” Judge Smallwood said, adding how she had been in and out of hospital with mental health struggles and suicidal ideation.

Judge Smallwood found her offending was “utterly inappropriate” but not of a predatory nature, given the boy was not under the age of 16 and had told police the relationship was mutual.

“You were both aware of the legal wrongs of it all,” he said. “I am satisfied there was no pressure put on him. No threats.

“It’s simply a situation where neither of you were thinking particularly straight, and you were the one with the responsibility, not him.

“I accept that you have appropriate remorse and indeed shame at your offending.”

It comes as it can be revealed the teenage victim defended Ooms’ actions when interviewed by police.

“If I’m being completely honest, I know at the end of the day it’s probably not considered at all, but you guys probably see it as she trying to get to me,” he said.

“But I just want to say that she is very nice … a very nice person.

“I know for a fact that she wasn’t trying to get at me to try to be a predator or anything like that.

“And I believe that she genuinely had feelings for me, and I know I did.

“As much as it’s wrong … I know she’s not like that.

“I just want to make sure that’s clear on how I feel.

“I never wanted it to end like this. I never wanted her to have to cop it.”

County Court Judge John Smallwood spared Oooms jail time, telling the court she had been punished enough.

The court heard the pair had fallen in love after they were both going through difficult times in their lives.

They initially exchanged Instagram details, before Ooms handed over her personal mobile number, where text messages showed the relationship escalated quickly from friendly messages of support to saying that they loved and missed each other.

He would sneak out of his home in the middle of the night, without his parents knowing, and she would pick him up in her car.

They would drive to remote locations where they would kiss, touch and have sex in the back seat.

The Toorak College girls’ school graduate also had him over at her house in Maffra.

Their relationship was exposed when the school received two anonymous letters in August stating she was having a sexual relationship with a student.

It was Ooms first year at the college, having been transferred from Sandringham Secondary College.

She taught a range of subjects at the Sale school to students from Year 7 to Year 12.

Ooms was placed on a four-year community correction order, where she will have to complete 300 hours of unpaid community work and continue to undergo mental health treatment and rehabilitation.

She will also have to report to authorities on the sex offenders register for life.

Judge Smallwood warned her of the consequences if she breached the order.

“There’d be no option – you’d be going to jail, for sure,” he said.