Aussie Teacher Gets Prison in Sex Case - Updated

(Ballarat, Australia) Former music teacher at Ballarat High School, Michelle Lynn Dennis, 33, admitted to engaging in sex with two boys, aged 14 and 17.

The County Court at Ballarat heard Dennis sent more than 1300 text messages to the students over a two-year period.

She also sent one of the boys naked pictures of herself and invited one of his friend's to have a threesome with them, which the friend rejected.

Dennis pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a child under supervision and one count of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

She was convicted and sentenced to four years and three months' jail, with a minimum of two years and 10 months to serve.

She was also ordered to be placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

Dennis reportedly cried during the proceeding.

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Aussie Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Charges - Updated
[Previous 8/11/09 post]
(Ballarat, Australia) Yesterday, 33-year-old former teacher Michelle Lynn Dennis appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court and pleaded not guilty to 26 counts of sexual assault stemming from allegations of sex acts with two male students outside school grounds.

Dennis sat with her mother and two supporters during the one-day hearing before Magistrate Peter Couzens.

Dennis was committed to stand trial on 12 counts of sexual penetration of a child, nine counts of an indecent act with a child under care/supervision and five counts of indecent acts with a child.

Dennis has a hearing scheduled for September 8 in Melbourne County Court.

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Aussie Teacher Faces Multiple Sex Charges
[Previous 11/3/08 post]
(Ballarat, Australia) A 32-year-old teacher at Ballarat High School, Michelle Dennis, was charged this past week with engaging in sex with male teen students. This is the second group of charges leveled against Dennis.

She has already been charged with three counts of sexual penetration of a student, aged 17 or under.

These charges, which were laid in late October, are believed to have involved a current student.

It is alleged all seven charges relate to sexual encounters with the two males outside the school grounds last year.

Dennis has been suspended from her teaching position. A court appearance is scheduled for January 22.

(h/t JR)