17 Dec 2019

Former teacher to be sentenced over sexual relations with minors

11:27 am on 17 December 2019

A former school teacher is due to be sentenced in the Blenheim District Court this afternoon over sexual misconduct involving two students.

The woman, who has name suppression, appeared in court in October and admitted to seven charges of sexual relations with minors and two charges of sending sexual material to minors.

She is expected to be sentenced this afternoon.

One of the minors told court earlier that believed he was in a relationship with the woman.

The relationship began with messages sent by text, that escalated into a relationship described in court as one of trust.

The pair met on several occasions over the next year, and the boy believed they were in a relationship.

The woman began sharing explicit photos of herself via private social media platforms, and another student was invited to join in.

A series of illicit meetings then began with two students.