Female teacher jailed for 10 years for sexually violating boy

NZ Herald 27 November 2015
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 was 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 Natone Park School in Porirua.

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Prosecutor Dale LaHood today said aggravating features of Reriti’s offending included the “vulnerability” of the victim.

A conservative lobby group welcomed the sentence but said rape laws should be updated to remove the “gender inequality” which prevented Reriti from being charged with rape.

“This sentence sends a strong message that gross breaches of trust will receive the full weight of the law,” said Bob McCoskrie, Family First national director.

“However, we would question what mitigating circumstances existed which allowed the sentence to be reduced from the prosecutor’s starting point of 14-15 years. This offending was calculated and manipulative,” Mr McCoskrie added.
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