Canberra Teacher Guilty of Child Sexual Abuse

Petra Shasha, a former trainee teacher, was found guilty by the ACT Supreme Court of multiple charges, including persistent sexual abuse and grooming of a 15-year-old student from St Edmund’s College. Shasha was accused of cultivating a relationship with the boy, providing gifts, money, and engaging in sexual acts, though she denied having sex with him. The court lifted restrictions on her identity, allowing public reporting following an application by the ABC. She was acquitted of two additional charges, yet the jury found her guilty on charges reflecting a pattern of predatory behavior. Additional recent cases have highlighted concerning incidents of teacher misconduct involving minors, underscoring the serious nature of teacher-student boundary violations and the legal consequences involved.