Supervision and community work were imposed on a 19-year-old woman who had admitted having sex with a 14-year old boy, at her sentencing in Christchurch District Court today.
Danielle Sherri Andrew, of Linwood, was sentenced to 12 months supervision, 100 hours of community work and ordered to attend psychological counselling after pleading guilty to the charge of having unlawful sexual connection with the under-age boy.
She told a probation officer during her pre-sentence report interview that she was "bitterly ashamed and most remorseful" of her actions, Christchurch Court News website reported.
Andrew, a labourer, had been a guest at the victim's home when the incident occurred.
Defence counsel Karen Feltham said Andrew had been left "humiliated by this whole matter".
Shame over her actions led her to confide in a co-worker who subsequently informed others. News then filtered back to the victim's parents.
She argued that sexual contact was made on one occasion and there was no evidence of Andrew "grooming" her victim, adding that Andrew may have struggled to understand the gravity of the offence herself.
"Emotionally and intellectually she is not the most mature person, which she herself acknowledges," she said.
Judge David Saunders gave Andrew credit for her guilty plea, which spared the victim from giving evidence, and accepted that sexual contact had occurred only once.
"I am satisfied that you are remorseful and this is your first offence but you were a guest in the victim's home and breached the trust placed in you by the mother of the child," he said.
He added that issues needed to be addressed to prevent further offending.
"It is clear that a psychological assessment may be of assistance to you," he said.
