Jailed for sex with stepson
A Tasmanian woman who pleaded guilty to having sex with her 16-year-old stepson has been sentenced to at least six months in jail.
The 28-year-old woman, who legally cannot be identified, was facing seven counts of unlawful sex with a minor under the age of 17 between October and November 2012.
She was sentenced by Justice David Porter to twelve months imprisonment backdated to May 20, with six months suspended on the condition she commit no offence for two years.
"You must bear full responsibility for what happened," Justice Porter said.
The woman cried as the sentence was read out.
Defence lawyer Steve Chopping told the court the woman had been in a de-facto relationship with the boy's father for eleven years and the couple have a young child together.
She had known the teenager since he was in primary school, though their relationship had previously been strained.
Crown Prosecutor Jackie Hartnett told the court the sexual relationship began in October 2012 when the woman went into the 16-year-old's bedroom to discuss his driving lessons. Tickling turned into kissing, which then led to intercourse.
The woman's partner discovered the affair when a camera he had set up to film paranormal activity in their home caught the woman and teenager kissing and cuddling one another.
He was so shocked by the footage he had recorded that he confronted his partner, who downplayed the incident. The father notified police after the boy admitted to having sex with the woman three times.
The boy then moved to Tasmania's west coast, where the woman traveled to see him. They had sex again during a six-day stay at a hotel.
The court heard the woman had used a false name to continue speaking with the boy over Facebook from February this year until May 11.
Although Justice Porter took into account the woman's earlier plea of guilty, he could not overlook the fact that the woman went to great lengths to continue the affair despite warnings from police that she would be charged.
"The relationship that commenced was more opportunistic than predatory ... but that cannot truly be said of your later conduct," Justice Porter told the woman in the dock.
"This calls for a lengthy sentence ... but there is sufficient prospect of rehabilitation."
