A 23-year-old female teacher in Sydney has been denied bail after being accused of sexually abusing a teenage student and allegedly attempting to interfere with the police investigation. Monica Elizabeth Young appeared at Bankstown Local Court on Monday, where a magistrate described the case against her as 'overwhelmingly strong'.
Young was arrested on Friday and charged with 10 offences, including aggravated sexual assault of a child aged between 14 and 16. Court documents indicate the alleged incidents occurred during school hours on June 24 and July 3. Police evidence includes CCTV footage, Snapchat messages, and alleged admissions made during an interview.
The court heard that Young allegedly tried to contact the victim's mother to 'explain away' the claims after learning of the investigation. She also allegedly posed as a different Snapchat user. Magistrate Glenn Walsh said this raised 'significant bail concerns of interference of witnesses' and formally refused bail.
Young's barrister, Geoff Harrison, argued for bail under house arrest conditions with a $50,000 surety, noting she had no criminal record and was due to marry her boyfriend of six years. However, the magistrate ruled the risk of witness interference was too high. Young appeared via video link from Silverwater Remand Centre, visibly emotional at the start of the hearing.
The teacher faces multiple counts of aggravated sexual intercourse, intentional sexual touching, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. A non-publication order for her name was refused after media opposition. The case is set to return to court at a later date.
