Whyalla primary school child sex offender Trent Hay hears harrowing victim impact statements in Port Augusta District Court

The parents of Trent Hay’s young victims and the school principal who he worked for have revealed what the 48-year-old’s sick crimes have really done.

A primary school teacher who preyed on three children has left behind immeasurable heartache after he tainted what should be a happy and safe place with his “filthy hands”.

Trent James Hay, 48, was slammed in court for manipulating the innocent children that trusted him and leaving families too scared to send their children back to school.

Powerful victim impact statements were read to the Port Augusta District Court last week, with one child saying she hopes Hay stays in jail forever so he can’t make anyone else feel like she does.
The principal of the school Hay taught at echoed the feelings of disgust towards him, saying she was blamed for what happened and became the subject of overwhelming backlash.

A primary school teacher who preyed on three children has left behind immeasurable heartache. Picture: iStock

Victim’s slam Trent Hay: ‘I hope he stays in jail forever’:

The first victim’s parents said Hay had corrupted a piece of their daughter and taken away all the trust they had in the world.

“Trent Hay, you are a man that will forever haunt our lives,” they said.

“What you have done to our family and the impact it has had on us is unforgivable.

“The countless nights we’ve spent wide awake, thinking how sick it is that a man working in a primary school can abuse his authority to manipulate children that trusted him.

“You have tainted all her memories of school with your filthy hands.”

The parents said no mother or father should have to go through this kind of pain.

“The countless nights, where bedtimes have been nothing but heartache,” they said.

“Trying to explain to our little girl that what had happened to her was not her fault.

“Or trying to stop her from feeling the immense amount of guilt she has for putting someone in jail.

“No amount of time served can make up for the heartache we will feel for the rest of our lives.”

The parents of the second victim said their daughter is no longer her normal, happy self and has begun to hate school.

“Seeing your little, vibrant girl change so much because of something traumatic she has gone through has deeply impacted us and it will change our lives forever,” they said.

“Trent has tainted school for being the happy place for children that they are all entitled to.

“As a father, of young girls especially, I am supposed to feel like the protector of them.

“You have robbed me of this pleasure, as I couldn’t protect her against you.”

The parents said they were sickened that Hay abused “beautiful and fragile young girls who trusted him wholeheartedly”.

“When we think of Trent, we feel many emotions such as anger, disgust, sadness and absolute hatred that his actions are going to negatively affect these little girls and their families forever,” they said.

“We want you to know Trent that you have affected (their daughter’s) trust, made her doubt school as being her safe place, taken away her innocence and changed the personality of one of the best kids you will ever meet.”

Their daughter said when the abuse happened it made her feel worried, uncomfortable and not safe.

“Since it happened … I have been sad at bed time, I find it hard to sleep, I feel a bit sick and I can’t stop thinking about it,” she said.

“I hope (Hay) stays in jail forever so he can never make anybody else feel this way.”

The mother of the third victim said she will forever worry about her daughter’s mental stability and how it will affect her throughout her life.

“It saddens me to see that our daughter has had to mature and lose her innocence at such a young age,” she said.

Trent Hay was found guilty of vile acts against three students. Picture: iStock

Whyalla principal’s devastation: ‘It destroyed me over and over’

In her victim impact statement, the principal of the Whyalla primary school – who The Advertiser is not naming – detailed how hearing disclosures about Hay’s abuse was heartbreaking.

“When the initial allegation was raised I felt complete shock and immediately ill with the thought that something like this could happen in a school that I lead; where I am so diligent in my actions, modelling of child protection and professional behaviours,” she said.

“From that moment that I met with the family of the first child victim my entire life has changed.

“I didn’t sleep that very first night and I no longer sleep well.

“I think about what he did and the children every day.

“Hearing the details from the child or their mother was horrific. As a mother it destroyed me, over and over again.”

The principal said when Hay’s charges became public she became the target of “overwhelming” backlash and strongly considered leaving her job.

She said she worked non-stop to support the investigation, while feeling “completely helpless” and in “total shock” every day.

“The abuse and what took place in the school is something that weighs so heavily on me as I still struggle to understand why someone would deliberately do this to little children who are in our care, who we are supposed to nurture,” she said.

“As a principal you feel the enormity of the role, but nothing could compare to the judgment and attacks that I faced from the media and the community because of his actions.

“Due to holding the position of principal I was blamed for this happening in my school. “Parents were scared for their children and some families expressed that they no longer felt safe to send their children back.

“We lost several families to other schools due to the behaviour of this teacher.”

The principal said the actions of Hay, who was once a “trusted colleague”, has sabotaged her entire life.

“Every day that I come to work I am constantly reminded of what happened here and the enormous impact his actions have had on so many lives,” she said.

“As I walk around the school, there are moments that I feel my eyes welling with tears as the overwhelming grief I feel because of the trauma that he has caused me and our entire school community.”

Trent Hay’s offending has caused a ripple effect throughout the school and wider Whyalla community. Photo: File

Trent Hay’s sickening crimes revealed

After a trial in the District Court, Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett found Hay guilty of two counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual abuse of a child.

In a judgment published online, the court heard Hay indecently assaulted the first victim a few years ago.

“He pulled her pants down. He gave her a lolly. At the end of lunch he kissed her on the head,” the judgment read.

The court heard the man’s DNA was found in the first victim’s underpants.

The victim told her parents Hay gave her a Mentos because “she was a good girl and she had to keep it a secret”.

The court heard Hay also sexually abused two more students including pulling one girl between his legs and rubbing her bottom.

On Tuesday, the court heard Hay moved to Whyalla with his wife, who he has two children with, in 2017.

“His family, his wife and his children became pariahs in Whyalla after his arrest,” Rob Walker, for Hay, said.

Hay’s name had been suppressed from publication since his arrest in July 2023.

However, after an application from the Advertiser, Auxiliary Judge Barrett lifted the suppression order on Hay’s name on Tuesday, meaning he could be exposed for the first time.

Hay, who is in custody, will be sentenced at a later date.

Originally published as Whyalla primary school child sex offender Trent Hay hears harrowing victim impact statements in Port Augusta District Court