A teacher who admitted having a sexual relationship with one of her students has broken down while apologising to his parents in court.
Private school English teacher Sonia Mackay faced the South Australian District Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the persistent sexual exploitation of a 17-year-old boy.
Reading a letter of apology, the 43-year-old said she was ‘deeply sorry’ for her actions and knows what she did was wrong.
‘I am deeply regretful of my actions,’ Mackay said.
‘Through my indecent actions I have brought great distress to (the victim) and his family.’
In a victim impact statement, the boy’s mother told the court Mackay had called her and asked for his phone number under the guise of helping him with his school work.
She said she became worried when her son stopped coming home for days at a time.
‘I had no idea where he was sleeping, who he was with, was he safe or worse,’ she said.
‘When he attempted to come home she bought him expensive underwear and gifts so he had no excuse but to stay with her.’
The boy’s mother recounted one incident when he did come home and Mackay called him and threatened self harm.
‘I saw my son terrified… he believed it was his fault for leaving her alone.’
The case, before Judge Liesl Chapman, will return to court in December.