A Western Bay teacher is defending an allegation that she stole a young student's medication.
A judge-alone defended hearing began in Tauranga District Court today for the woman who has denied a charge of theft of the Class B controlled drug Concerta - a prescription drug which treats attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The theft is alleged to have occurred between May 24 and 28 this year.
The identity of the teacher cannot be revealed due to a court-imposed suppression order. The name of the school has also been suppressed but The Bay of Plenty Times can reveal the woman was a teacher at an intermediate school.
The principal earlier told this newspaper that the alleged theft was uncovered due to the school's "robust internal audit processes"
The principal and several staff members will be prosecution witnesses during the two day hearing.
The teacher at the centre of the allegation is also currently undergoing an internal disciplinary process with the school's Board of Trustees' disciplinary body.
