Grooming charges against Indooroopilly State High School teacher Chelsea Jane Edwards dropped

Grooming charges against a Brisbane high school teacher whose lawyer told a court she and a 16-year-old male student kissed have been dropped.

Chelsea Jane Edwards, 30, from Paradise Point has had her charges dropped.

A Brisbane high school teacher charged over allegedly grooming a 15-year-old boy has had her charges dropped.

Chelsea Jane Edwards, 30, a sports co-ordinator at Indooroopilly State High School at the time she was charged, faced two counts of grooming a child, relating to the boy who was 15 at the time of the alleged offending between July 2022 and September 2022.

It can now be revealed prosecutors discontinued proceedings against her entering a nolle prosequi on the indictment.

“After consideration of all the admissible evidence, it was determined that there were not reasonable prospects of securing a conviction on either charge,” a spokesman for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said.

Chelsea Jane Edwards outside court.

A third charge of indecent treatment had previously been dropped due to dispute over the time a photo had been taken.

The Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) – the state’s registration body for teachers – suspended Ms Edwards’ registration on March 13, three days after she was charged.

Her registration is still currently suspended on the public registry.

Police had previously alleged Edwards and the boy met up a number of times socially with photographs allegedly showing her arm around the waist of the boy, and multiple photos of them together at a function, an outdoor event and inside a sports venue.

Edwards’ case had previously been mentioned in Southport’s Magistrates Court before being transferred to Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Chelsea Edwards was the sports co-ordinator at Indooroopilly State High School. Picture: Tara Croser

At the last appearance in Brisbane Magistrates Court in January, 2024, the court heard from Edwards’ lawyer, Alex Somers of Nyst Legal, who said there was no procurement or enticement, according to the boy’s statement to police.

“After his 16th birthday a personal friendship developed,” he said.

“In the boy’s statement, a month after he turned 16 a conversation occurred … about his feelings for her.”

Mr Somers said the statement went on to claim the boy told Ms Edwards he found her attractive but that she appeared hesitant.

“It progressed to kissing later, which he initiated,” he said.

Mr Somers told the court a sexual relationship began in October and November 2022.

Crown Prosecutor Hannah Mangione told the court Ms Edwards had sent an email before the boy had turned 16 describing how fond she was of him.

It was then committed to stand trial in January of 2024 before it was dropped this year.

Ms Edwards’ lawyer Mr Somer’s told the Courier-Mail that his client did not wish to make any comment regarding the charges that had now been dropped.

Originally published as Grooming charges against Indooroopilly State High School teacher Chelsea Jane Edwards dropped