Former teacher confesses to sexually assaulting student on northern beaches

An ex-teacher has sensationally changed her plea over the historic sexual assault of a former student as she was about to face trial.

A former Sydney northern beaches teacher who was due to face trial for sexually assaulting a student more than 40 years ago has sensationally confessed to the crime.

Lee Joyce Dunbar, 69, had been due to face trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre, but on Tuesday entered a plea of guilty to a charge of assaulting and committing an act of indecency on a girl over 16 years.

The plea of guilty was accepted by Judge Tim Gartelmann and the former teacher will now face a sentence hearing this week.

Ms Dunbar, of Five Dock, was arrested in November 2020 following an investigation by Strike Force Southwood which was set up by NSW Police to investigate improper student-teacher relationships at high schools on the northern beaches in 1970s and 80s.

NSW teacher Lee Dunbar confessed to the historic sexual assault of a student more than 40 years ago. Picture from 1996.

She was since released on bail.

Police say the former teacher, aged in her late 60s, abused a female student at Manly and Mona Vale between March 1978 and March 1980s.

She allegedly abused the female student while working at Beacon Hill High School.

The victim was aged between 14 and 16 years old at the time.

According to court documents, the incidents involved touching the breasts, nipple and private parts of the woman, as well as digitally penetrating her.

She was arrested at Burwood Police Station in 2021 and granted strict conditional bail.

Ms Dunbar entered pleas of not guilty in October, with her legal counsel preparing for trial this week before she changed her plea.

She will reappear in court this week.