Nazira Rafei leaves court. Photo: Andrew Brownbill
Nazira Rafei leaves court. Photo: Andrew Brownbill
A FEMALE teacher who allegedly told a 15-year-old male student to treat her like a sex slave has been charged with sexually penetrating a child.
Nazira Rafei, 25, a Melbourne high school teacher, is charged with one count of sexually penetrating a child under 16 and four counts of an indecent act with a child under 16.
The incidents allegedly occurred at Roxburgh Park, in Melbourne's outer north, in February and March this year.
Police also accuse the teacher of making an unwarranted demand by harassing the student last Monday not to disclose the relationship.
During a brief hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday, Rafei's lawyer, Steve Pica, told the court that the case was "likely to attract a fair degree of media attention".
"I do want to place on the record that my client has been fully co-operative with police and is pleading not guilty," he said.
Rafei was not required to formally enter a plea.
Police allege Rafei had sexual intercourse with a child under her "care, supervision or authority". It is alleged that on one occasion the teacher told the student to "treat her like a sex slave" as she lay on top of him pinching his nipples in the back seat of her car.
Another charge relates to Rafei allegedly kissing the student on his lips and touching his genitals through clothing. Two other charges relate to her allegedly hugging in a "sexual context" and kissing on the mouth a child under 16 in her care.
Magistrate Felicity Broughton adjourned the case for committal mention on August 29. Rafei made no comment as she left court.
It is the second time in two years a teacher at a Roxburgh Park school has been accused of performing sex acts on a student. In July 2006, Roxburgh College teacher Natalina D'Addario, 37, of Kensington, was sentenced to four months' jail for having sex with a 15-year-old boy.