Former Mackay teacher Ashleigh Rae Viller sentenced for harassment

A former Mackay teacher and cheerleader has landed in hot water after she sent ‘inappropriate’ messages to a 15-year-old student she had been texting for weeks.

Ashleigh Rae Viller(right), 25, faced Mackay Magistrates Court after she pleaded guilty to harassing one of her students by a carriage service. Photo: Fergus Gregg

A former Mackay teacher and cheerleader has landed herself in hot water after exchanging inappropriate text messages with one of her students.

Ashleigh Rae Viller, 25, originally from Brisbane start her career as a teacher in Mackay in 2023 and soon started a text relationship with a 15-year-old student between May 23, 2024 and June 14, 2024.

Mackay magistrates court heard on April 3, 2025 the two would text, share personal information and video call each other at night while Viller marked papers.

On June 1, Viller told her student about an event she was at where there was a sex doll and made several inappropriate comments however, there was no suggestion of any sexual activity between her and her student.

Ashleigh Rae Viller (right), with lawyer Siobhan French leaving the Mackay Magistrates Court on April 3, 2025. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Prosecutor Katarina Pollard told the court she had texted the complainant “just found out we have a stripper coming tonight, hopefully he’s hot’.”

“The offending went on for a certain period of time and was not simply a once off text conversation,” Ms Pollard said.

She told the court the offending was brought to light after multiple staff members made reports and Viller was contacted by police who downloaded data off her phone.

She was initially charged with grooming a child under the age of 16, before that charge was dismissed and replaced with using a carriage service —Telstra— to harass, menace or offend.

Viller pleaded guilty to the new charge and told the court she no longer held a blue card and was now working as a medical secretary.

Defence solicitor Siobhan French, with Donnelly Law Group told the court she was a young teacher who had found herself in Mackay trying to work without family support.

“Unfortunately she has formed... a friendship that then entered into a certain inappropriate communications with a student,” Ms French said.

“She had previously through her cheerleading... had friendships with younger people and older people.

“She has not differentiated and recognised the power imbalance that existed when she became a teacher.”

The court heard Viller has been in counselling since February, 2025. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Ms French told the court Viller was very remorseful and said following the offending she engaged in counselling and is now on medication.

She said Viller would “perhaps” like to return to teaching at some point.

Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said the behaviour between Viller and the victim was described as “ongoing flirtatious behaviour”.

“There’s no suggestion you have tried to procure him to meet outside of school or engage in any sexual activity,” Ms Hartigan said.

“The conversation that has been outlined, it is inappropriate, but it’s certainly low level.”

A man is facing a string of offences including bestiality and making child exploitation material, his case was mentioned in Mackay Magistrates Court today.

Ms Hartigan said Viller crossed a line she did not fully appreciate, but as a teacher, she can’t blur the line and engage in flirtatiousness.

“You were very newly appointed, this is extremely out of character for you and a learning exercise if I could call it that,” Ms Hartigan.

Ms Hartigan said she accepted this was a “one off event” and Viller had excellent prospects of rehabilitation.

“You have learned a valuable lesson in this about the blurred lines,” she said.

Viller was placed on a $2000 good behaviour bond that will hang over her head for 12 months and convictions were not recorded

“You’re receiving the proper help you need psychologically. I don’t want a conviction standing in the way of you returning to teaching.”

Originally published as Former Mackay teacher Ashleigh Rae Viller sentenced for harassment