A 37-year-old high school teacher in Australia has admitted to a series of s3xual crimes against a 15-year-old student, in a shocking case that involved grooming on social media and attempts to pervert the course of justice.
Guilty Plea with Newborn in Court
Karly Rae entered her guilty plea in a New South Wales court last week, just eight weeks after giving birth. She appeared in court with her newborn baby, according to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The identity of the baby's father has not been disclosed.
The disgraced teacher confessed to multiple charges, including s3xually abusing a teenage boy, possessing child abuse material, grooming a child for unlawful s3xual activity, and committing an act with the intention of perverting the course of justice. Her lawyer, Mark Ramsland, requested her case be prioritised due to the presence of her eight-week-old infant.
Grooming and Abuse Across Newcastle
Rae told the court that the s3xual encounters with the underage boy occurred in October 2024 in various locations around Newcastle, the city where she worked. This was the same month she was initially arrested.
The court heard that Rae groomed her victim through inappropriate and flirtatious messages exchanged on Snapchat and Instagram. In one particularly explicit message, she wrote: "Maybe we could have one last rendezvous before school goes back. I’ll bring my toy."
She also messaged the boy apologising for removing him from her Snapchat contacts, stating it was "too tempting" to contact him. When the teenager asked if they should remove each other, Rae responded: "It’s my fault. I take full responsibility. Do what you want/need." Despite this, Rae later claimed to have been unaware the boy was underage, even though he was a student at her school.
Attempts to Influence Witness and Legal Consequences
While out on bail, Rae allegedly phoned her victim multiple times in an attempt to persuade him to lie about the events in court. This led to her re-arrest in June. Justice Hament Dhanji noted during a bail hearing that Rae "sought to persuade the complainant to give a false version of events."
The teenager informed his mother about these calls, and his cousin, who had seen the social media exchanges, also alerted the parents. Rae was granted bail again in June because she was pregnant at the time.
Having initially pleaded not guilty, Rae was due to face trial in August 2026. Following her change of plea, she will now be sentenced in March. The judge has already ordered that she must not be alone in the presence of any person under the age of 16. Rae has also lost her teaching job.
