‘Just a kiss’ defence spurned as teacher groomer jailed

A schoolhouse teacher who made a late-night telephone telephone to a student and groomed her for enactment will spend different 9 months down bars.

Vasilious Kafataris, 57, was unsuccessful successful his bid to debar being sent backmost to jailhouse successful Downing Centre District Court successful Sydney connected Thursday aft helium argued the six months helium spent connected remand were punishment enough.

The erstwhile teacher was this year recovered blameworthy by a assemblage of grooming a 15-year-old student for enactment successful 2014.

He besides admitted to the repeated intersexual touching of a antithetic student 7 years later.

As portion of the grooming, Kafataris phoned the student precocious astatine nighttime and slapped his genitals connected a countertop while asking the victim to touch herself.

Judge Phillip Mahony rejected Kafataris’ statement the offending was little superior due to the fact that helium did not teach the student directly, saying helium supervised her successful sport and after-school workshops.

“The offender provided the victim with gifts similar cigarettes … and $50 notes,” Judge Mahony said.

The intersexual touching offences subordinate to a 17-year-old student helium kissed twice connected the lips extracurricular of school, which Kafataris denied was romantic.

Under questioning by crown authoritative Georgina Namat, helium said kissing his student hullo and goodbye was “cultural” and helium did not cognize it was illegal.

The justice rejected his statement that some incidents were “just a kiss”, saying successful 1 helium called the victim backmost to him arsenic she was walking away.

Kafataris’ struggle to woody with important grief were applicable to the intersexual touching offences, but not the grooming complaint arsenic astir of his bereavements occurred aft the grooming took place, the justice said.

The 57-year-old’s lawyer argued his lawsuit should not beryllium sent to jailhouse due to the fact that helium had already spent six months connected remand waiting for trial, which helium described arsenic “the worst six months of my life”.

But the property spread of much than 30 years betwixt him and his victims and the breach successful trust betwixt the teacher and his students meant lone situation clip was an due punishment, the justice said.

Kafataris was sentenced to a 15-month non-parole play backdated to April and will beryllium eligible for merchandise successful July 2026.

For the intersexual touching offences, helium was sentenced to an 11-month assemblage corrections order.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Source: AAP