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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Blake Foden

Female student teacher charged with child sex offences

Petra Shasha hops into a car outside court on Monday. Picture: Blake Foden

A female student teacher has been charged with child sex offences after allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a male student in Canberra.

Petra Shasha, 26, was arrested at a Gowrie home on Sunday as sexual assault and child abuse team detectives executed a search warrant.

She had been under investigation since December 2021, when ACT Policing received a report about the alleged inappropriate relationship.

After a night in custody, Ms Shasha briefly faced the ACT Magistrates Court from a remote room on Monday.

Magistrate Beth Campbell formally charged her with committing an act of indecency on a young person between December 2020 and June 2021.

Ms Campbell also read to the 26-year-old a charge that alleged she had used a carriage service to transmit indecent material to a young person between November 2020 and last Saturday.

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Prosecutor Sam Bargwanna told the court further charges were likely to be laid prior to Ms Shasha's next appearance.

Mr Bargwanna did not oppose conditional bail, which Ms Campbell granted.

Among other terms, the magistrate banned Ms Shasha from going to St Edmund's College, St Clare's College and Canberra Girls Grammar School.

Ms Campbell also placed a prohibition on the 26-year-old contacting or being within 100 metres of several people, including the alleged victim.

She stressed the importance of not making contact via any means.

"You can't contact their grandmother and ask them to send a message," Ms Campbell told Ms Shasha.

Ms Shasha, who did not enter pleas, is due back in court on March 21.

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