Here's a little update on our aussie teacher slut
Sex teacher may avoid jail
By Adam Morton
November 4, 2004
A FEMALE teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy could avoid jail after a judge said the student's consent was a mitigating factor.
The Victorian County Court was told the Year 10 student did not consider himself a victim in the relationship with married mother-of-three Karen Louise Ellis.
Ellis, 37, today pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual penetration with a child under 16.
The former physical education teacher had repeated, unprotected sex with the boy at her North Eltham home while her husband was away for work in October and November last year.
After her arrest, Ellis told police: "What can I say ... it's a stupid teacher taking advantage ... I should have known better".
Prosecutor Keiran Gilligan called for Ellis to be jailed for her "gross breach of trust", saying the law recognised children were vulnerable.
Judge John Smallwood said the unique factors in the case meant the "inevitable" prison term could be wholly suspended.
"Consent is not a defence to guilt but it has to be a mitigating factor, doesn't it?" he said.
Mr Gilligan replied: "If there wasn't consent it would be a rape charge, it wouldn't be a sexual penetration charge".
The court was told Ellis was remorseful about the relationship, and that the pair had stayed in contact since it ended.
Her husband, Stephen Ellis, told the court he would have stopped taking interstate plumbing jobs if he realised his marriage was in trouble.
He moved out of the family home for a few weeks in May but was now back, trying to "make a go of it".
"We're definitely going to try hard at that for our children's sake, that's for sure," he said.
"She's been a fantastic mother for 13 years.
"I just hope it can all be finished and we can go back to a normal life."
The court was told the boy became estranged from his mother after she contacted police. He now lives with his grandmother.
Describing the illegal relationship as a "matter of passion", defence barrister Brian Bourke asked that Ellis not be jailed.
Mr Bourke said the sexual relationship was brief, ended a year ago and the boy had told police it had "no effect" on him.
By contrast, the resulting media attention had done Ellis "an enormous amount of harm", Mr Bourke said.
"It's an enormous amount she has to live with while the media moguls can gloat," he said.
Mr Bourke said a jail term was not needed to deter other Victorian teachers from having sex with students.
Judge Smallwood said he would consider Ellis' remorse and the victim's "quite vigorous assertion" there had been "no damage" in sentencing.
The court was told Ellis' eldest daughter, 13, had surgery earlier this year and needed ongoing care from her mother.
"My view is a wholly suspended sentence would be at the lower end of the range but it would not be outside the range," Judge Smallwood said.
"It is not my fear that she is a danger to the public."
Sex with a child under 16 carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Judge Smallwood released Ellis on bail to be sentenced on Wednesday.
AAP
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