Ms Blackburn was warned by a confidante that the affair ”would come back to haunt her”.

Three years after she lost her job at the Carenne Public School in Bathurst, a District Court judge, Michael Elkaim, yesterday ordered her to pay her former student $120,293 over a liaison he said amounted to sexual abuse.

Mr Withyman, who was transferred to Carenne because of his disturbed personality and learning disability, sued the school and Ms Blackburn for damages. He claimed the end of the relationship, in October 2003, triggered his spiral into crime.

He repeatedly assaulted Ms Blackburn, breached apprehended violence orders and threatened to kill her. He was jailed for firearms offences and hospitalised for psychiatric treatment; she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.

Ms Blackburn sought damages for the criminal acts he inflicted and was awarded $69,475.

The 36-year-old steadfastly denied any sexual contact with Mr Withyman, 11 years her junior. But evidence from a former confidante, Diana Minato, satisfied the judge that teacher and student had had a sexual relationship for about five months.

Ms Minato recalled Ms Blackburn saying in 2003 that she had sex with a student at her school and ”there was something that attracted her to him … an element of excitement about him being younger”.

more…. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/teacher-to-pay-120000-for-affair-with-special-needs-student/1930980.aspx