A female teacher who sexually violated and manipulated a boy was no better than male predators who abused girls, a court heard today.
Stacey Reriti has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail for her exploitation of a boy who was only 10 when the offending started in 2011.
She was found guilty last month on six charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and one charge of doing an indecent act on a minor.
At her sentencing today, the High Court at Wellington heard the boy felt betrayed, and his entire family felt Reriti's actions would be "a scar" on their lives forever.
Reriti used to teach at a Porirua school.
Prosecutor Dale LaHood today said aggravating features of Reriti's offending included the "vulnerability" of the victim.
The boy was especially vulnerable at the time, Mr LaHood said, because one of his parents "was extremely unwell".
"Far from being a compassionate supporter" of the boy, Reriti manipulated him, he said.
Reriti, he said, betrayed her duties as a teacher, a leader and a deputy principal. "The real harm [to] this victim won't be known for some time."
The starting point for Reriti's punishment should be 14-15 years in jail, the prosecutor told Justice Woolford.
He said Reriti's gender shouldn't mean she should escape the sort of punishment a male teacher found guilty of child sex offences would face.
Mitigating features possibly included Reriti's lack of previous convictions, Mr LaHood said, but the length of her offending against the boy made this arguably irrelevant.
The offending continued until 2014.
Reriti's lawyer Stephen Iorns said the disgraced teacher suffered from "serious psychological and psychiatric illness".
There was no escaping the fact "traumatic" situations she'd experienced when younger, and her recent mental state, contributed to the offending, he said.
However, he described Reriti as vulnerable, and said a long jail term would not be good for her.
"Prior to this offending, Miss Reriti was on track to have a very impressive career." But now, he said, "her career is over".
Justice Woolford said Reriti showed no remorse or understanding of the offending, but acknowledged that she was mentally unwell.
For the sexual violation charge, Reriti was sentenced to 10 years and six months in jail. For indecent assault, she was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.
For the other offences, she was sentenced to eight years' jail, to be served concurrently.
