'I've buggered up a child's life'
2006-09-21 23:48
Kempton Park - "I've buggered up a child's life totally," wept a former primary school teacher in the regional court here.
With tears in his eyes, the man acknowledged his crimes in mitigation of sentence.
Hennie van der Watt, 36, had pleaded guilty earlier to three charges of statutory rape because he had had sex several times with a former pupil.
She was 13 years old when they had sex the first time and is now 16.
Van der Watt also admitted guilt on two charges of indecent assault after taking photographs of the naked girl with his cellphone camera.
16 hours' community service weekly
He was sentenced to a fine of R3 000 or two years' imprisonment, with a year's corrective supervision under house arrest.
He was sentenced to 16 hours of community service a week and has to undergo therapy.
The school principal was upset with the sentence.
"It sends out the wrong message to teachers. It's the worst possible thing you can do as teacher."
Van der Watt had been a teacher at the primary school since 1994 and also knew the girl's parents.
He said in his plea explanation that the girl, whom he taught for three years, was "more adult than her peers and it was easy to talk to her".
He and the girl regularly had contact through cellphone calls and SMSs in 2004. He felt attracted to her and they started kissing.
In November, they had sex in the school's sick-bay.
The sexual relationship continued between February and April 2005 and he acknowledged that he knew it was a crime to have sex with a minor.
His plea explanation read: "I got a new cellphone with a camera in December 2004."
He met her in his classroom on April 20 2005 and took photographs of her naked.
He did it again in November and down-loaded the photographs on to his computer at home.
'Sent them on the right path'
The girl broke her silence in March this year and Van der Watt was arrested at the school. He also resigned voluntarily.
Van der Watt, a father of two young children said: "I've educated 3 600 children in my time as teacher and sent them on the right path, but I buggered up one child's life."
The girl's father said outside the court: "I feel the sentence is too light, but I know he'll feel bad for the rest of his life.
"He manipulated my child. He'll have to live with it for the rest of his life."