A teacher who worked at a prestigious college in Adelaide's east has pleaded guilty to grooming a student for sexual activity.
Former Concordia College teacher Bettina Schmoock initially pleaded not guilty in April last year to one aggravated count of communicating with the intent of procuring a child for sexual activity.
The teacher's trial was due to start this week, but Schmoock changed her plea to guilty in the District Court today.
The charge is aggravated because Schmoock was in a position of authority over her victim at the time of the offending.
The maximum penalty for the crime is a 12-year jail term.
In setting a date for sentencing, prosecutor Mark Norman SC told the court he planned to tender "voluminous" documentation including "text messages and Skype messages".
Schmoock's defence lawyer Mark Griffin QC said a psychiatric report had been ordered for his client.
"We have already put in motion a request for a report that will be of assistance to your Honour … from a treating psychiatrist," he told the court.
"Apart from putting material about character before your Honour, there may be one or two character witnesses who I will choose to call."
The District Court will hear sentencing submissions, including victim impact statements, when Schmoock appears again in April.
