A former teacher, Karly Renae Rae, has been granted bail after being accused of grooming and engaging in sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old student. Rae, 36, was arrested in October and faces charges including possessing child abuse material. Following her initial release on bail, she was remanded back into custody in January after allegedly attempting to persuade the victim to give false testimony during a series of phone calls.
During her recent bail hearing at the NSW Supreme Court, Justice Hament Dhanji outlined that Rae’s actions included attempts to manipulate the teenager’s account of the events. The boy, however, informed his mother and subsequently reported the incidents to authorities. Rae faces additional charges for attempting to obstruct justice and breaching a restraining order meant to protect the victim.
Watching the proceedings from her cell at Dillwynia prison, Rae displayed emotional distress as the judge deliberated on her bail status. While concerns regarding the potential risk of further offences or witness interference were raised, the judge ultimately determined that these risks were manageable under the conditions of her bail. Justice Dhanji noted that Rae’s status as a former educator made it unlikely she would again engage in inappropriate behaviour with minors.
Having spent four months in custody, the judge remarked on the lessons Rae would have learned from her situation. As part of her bail conditions, she will be placed under home detention at her residence in Bolton Point, on the Central Coast of NSW. She is prohibited from being in contact with anyone aged 16 or younger, restricted from social media use, and allowed to possess only a single mobile phone.
Rae is set to appear at the Newcastle District Court on July 3, with the trial anticipated to proceed thereafter.