Whyalla primary school child Trent Hay jailed for seven years

A primary school teacher has learned his fate for his sickening crimes against three young girls that rocked the South Australian community.

A Whyalla primary school teacher has been sentenced after he preyed on three children whose school live had been tainted by his “filthy hands”.

Trent James Hay, 48, was jailed for over seven years after the breathtaking betrayal that rocked the Whyalla community.

Whyalla teacher Trent Hay.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Hay indecently assaulted the first victim a few years ago.

The court heard his 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.

Victim impact statements were read to the Port Augusta District Court in May.

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.

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

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

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.

“I think about what he did and the children every day,” she said.

Convicted pedophile Whyalla teacher Trent Hay.

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

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.”

On Wednesday, Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett said quite unreasonably some people blamed the principal for Hay’s offending.

“But the fact is your offending was always surreptitious and no-one but the girls knew what was going on,” he said.

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

“Your offending was a breach of trust to the children, their parents and the school,” he said.

Hay was jailed for seven years and six months, which was backdated to March 14.

Originally published as Whyalla primary school child Trent Hay jailed for seven years