A 37-year-old woman appeared at Blenheim District Court this morning. Photo / Nelson Weekly
A 37-year-old woman appeared at Blenheim District Court this morning. Photo / Nelson Weekly
The Blenheim teacher who admitted sexually abusing two schoolboys under her watch will be sentenced today and faces Christmas - and up to 10 years - in prison.
The 37-year-old is scheduled to appear in the Blenheim District Court this afternoon.
The woman has interim name suppression which may belifted after the hearing.
It is understood she will seek to make the order permanent, but that will be opposed by the Herald and the Crown.
In October the woman - who is no longer teaching - pleaded guilty to seven charges of unlawful sexual connection with minors, and one of exposing a minor to indecent material over a year-long period.
She was a teacher at Marlborough Boys' College at the time but has since had her teaching registration cancelled.
The 37-year-old admitted having sex with two 15-year-old boys in parked cars in public places, often telling the victims she loved them and showing them explicit videos.
The first boy was under 16 when she first started to send him text messages in 2017, offering him rides to school and asking him about sport.
The messaging became daily and the child spent most lunchtimes with her at school.
The 37-year-old was a teacher at Marlborough Boys' College at the time. Photo / Google
"She would talk to him about her mental health problems and tell him that life was getting too hard for her and she needed someone to talk to," the police summary of facts stated.
"The defendant and the victim built up a trust and this led to (her) getting flirty with the victim.
One lunchtime the teacher drove the boy to a park in her own car, which had tinted windows, and promised him she would make sure his attendance record did not alert anyone to his absence from school.
"She became emotional and hopped into the back seat and invited the victim into the back with her," the summary detailed.
"She then flirted with the victim before sitting on his lap and kissing him."
The abuse escalated from there and the pair had full sex - usually on a Friday afternoon while the woman waited to pick up her own child.
"The victim believed that he was in a relationship with (her), she would tell him that she loved him and how amazing he was," the summary said.
"There were a number of times the defendant told the victim she would kill herself and this made the victim feel like he needed to stay.
"The relationship between (them) lasted for about a year."
