A former Brisbane teacher groomed a 12-year-old via Instagram messages before committing vile sexual acts against them, and telling them to "watch porn" to learn more about sex, a court has heard.
Kellie Ann-Marie Whiteside, 44, is accused of grooming, manipulating and sexually abusing the child. What started off as friendship later escalated into a sexual relationship
Whiteside was initially charged with 30 offences related to the offending but on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a single count of repeated sexual conduct with a child. The other 29 charges were discontinued by the prosecution. The court was told Whiteside was introduced to the complainant when the child was only 12.
Whiteside Told the Victim She was Unhappy with Her Husband and Their Sex Life
Their relationship progressed from spending time together twice a week to Whiteside becoming "attached" – beginning to send messages over Instagram admitting she felt lonely if she did not see the child.
"(Whiteside) told the complainant to keep their messages a secret," crown prosecutor Cameron Wilkins said. Mr Wilkins told the court the pair set up private Instagram accounts where they only followed each other and created a "password" or code they could say to each other so they "knew they were not talking to anyone else."
The pair's relationship grew "more romantic", Whiteside admitting to the child she was unhappy with her husband and sex life and that she had pleasured herself. The court was told the child did not understand – to which Whiteside told her to "watch porn to learn more about sex."
Whiteside Engaged in Sexual Acts with the Victim in Toilets, While Driving, in Restaurant Car Parks, Hotel Rooms and Balconies
Whiteside's charge of repeated sexual conduct involved her kissing and sexually assaulting the victim over a three-year period. Whiteside also had sex with the complainant in toilets.
"Other sexual acts occurred while the two were driving places in the defendant's car, in a restaurant's car park, in hotel rooms or on balconies, (and) at the complainant or defendant's homes," Mr Wilkins told the court.
"There were various sexualised messages exchanged between the two ... including the sending of intimate images," At other times the child was given alcohol to become tipsy or drunk before sexual acts, he said.
The victim raised concerns about what they were doing in June 2015, but Whiteside insisted there was "nothing wrong." The court was told the relationship continued until March 2023 and a complaint was made to police the following year.
In sentencing Whiteside to five years' jail, District Court Chief Judge Brian Devereaux made her eligible for parole in March 2027. Whiteside otherwise had no criminal history and the offending was against the backdrop of her marriage breakdown.
