US teacher charged for screening Kiwi horror film

A scene from the New Zealand film ABCs Of Death.

An American substitute teacher could face jail time after showing teenage high school students the New Zealand-produced horror film, The ABCs of Death.

Sheila Kearns, 58, has been found guilty in an Ohio court on four felony counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.

The substitute teacher screened the film, which features graphic sex scenes, full frontal nudity, hard drug use and violence, to five Spanish classes last year.

New Zealand film-maker Ant Timpson produced the film, which has an R18 classification in New Zealand, and says the film was never intended for a young audience.

Kearns' defence lawyer claimed the teacher had her back to the film as it played to students and was unaware of the inappropriate content. Court proceedings also revealed she does not speak Spanish.

However, a student testified that Kearns did see portions of the controversial film and that students "were going crazy" while watching it.

Mr Timpson said he found it hard to believe that anyone could remain oblivious to the content.

"She screened it five times. One mistake, understandable. But five times, you start to question what was going on in her mind?"

Kearns will be sentenced on March 4 and faces up to a year in prison and US$2500 ($3200) fine for each of the four felony counts. However, local newspaper the Columbus Dispatch reports she is likely to get probation for the low-level felony.

Her lawyer says she will appeal.