Schools must warn pupil sex illegal

Schools need to do more to make it clear to teachers that sexual relationships with their students are illegal, a judge has said.

The message must be reinforced that whether or not they teach the student themselves, it is a criminal offence for them to have sex with an under-age pupil at their school, Victorian County Court judge Liz Gaynor said.

Judge Gaynor's comments came during a pre-sentence hearing for country Victorian teacher Danial John Boyce, 29, who pleaded guilty to sexual penetration of a child under 16 in his care, supervision or authority.