A female school cleaner in Tasmania who persistently sexually abused a 13-year-old student over several months could spend as little as half a year behind bars.
The 28-year-old, who has since lost her job, abused the boy at her home, his home and in a car between June and September last year.
She became friends with the boy's mother in early 2021 and communicated with him on social media mobile phone application Snapchat.
"(You were) viewed as an aunt figure. You also worked at (his) school as a cleaner," Justice Tamara Jago told the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Burnie on Thursday.
Justice Jago outlined nine instances of sexual abuse, including one in which the woman performed a sexual act on the boy during a trip to McDonald's that was witnessed by one of his friends.
The woman was told by the boy's mother not to contact him after she found evidence of the abuse on his phone.
The woman instead set up a new Snapchat account under an alias and continued to communicate with him.
Justice Jago said she took advantage of the boy's family, breached their trust and exposed other young people to inappropriate sexual behaviour.
In an initial interview with police, the woman "minimised" her behaviour and later told investigators the relationship would probably still be going if she hadn't been caught.
She was sentenced to two years' jail with one year suspended and a non-parole period of six months.
She had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of persistent sexual abuse of a young person.
Justice Jago noted the woman had lost her job with the education department and that the consequences of her crime had been significant.
She said the woman had a long-standing history of depression stemming from a poor upbringing and neglect, and suffers a debilitating lack of confidence and self-esteem.
Justice Jago said the woman's mental health contributed to the offending, which she described as not predatory or manipulative, but only to a limited extent.
The woman has since resumed taking anti-depressant medication, has a new job and was remorseful.
Her prospects for rehabilitation were solid and the risk of her committing another similar offence was low, the judge added.
Since the abuse, the boy has self-harmed, received support for his mental health and lost friends, Justice Jago said.
The woman will be placed on the sex offender register for three years after her release from prison.
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