English teacher jailed after stalking students for sex behind her husband's back

An English teacher who stalked pupils for sex behind her husband's back has been jailed for three years.

Allison Marchese, 39, from Connecticut in the United States, sent two teenagers winking emojis, saucy texts and half-naked selfies, a court heard yesterday.

The mum-of-two cried in court as relatives of the boys told of the impact her actions have had on their lives.

One parent said: "The actions done by this woman has caused immeasurable damage to my son."

Judge Melanie Cradle told Marchese: "You were a teacher and you were in a position of trust. And the bottom line here is the victims are kids and were their teacher.

"A person who is engaged in the noble profession of shaping lives, values and thought processes of our youth.

"It's certainly a gift you should've taken more seriously."

Machese sent raunchy half-naked pics of herself to students. Photo / Supplied

Photo / Supplied

One of the students, 17, had told police that Marchese called him to her classroom where they kissed.

He also said that she then started touching him "downtown."

Marchese, whose husband Robert taught at the same school, then locked the door when he entered.

He told police officers that she then closed the blinds and performed a sex act on him.

After the incident he "freaked" out and told Marchese that she should pay him NZ$280 to not tell anyone about what had happened.

But the teacher then threatened him, claiming "her father was an abusive man who had spent time in jail and had contacts in the Mafia."

Marchese had earlier sent him "weird" sexual messages, the court heard.

She had also shared partially nude photos on Instagram, which could be viewed by other students.

She claimed that one of the X-rated selfies she sent to a student was meant for her husband and she "did not know how a student would have got it".

Another pupil said Marchese started messaging him "nonstop" when he was 14 through Instagram.

Marchese said she "couldn't concentrate during class because he was so good-looking and she could not sleep at night because she was thinking about him."

Marchese would call him and ask for him "to come to her room and talk with her".

He repeatedly asked her to stop, and claimed she replied: "I know when to stop, I know when to move on, but 'I know' is different from 'I can.' "

In January 2015 Marchese was suspended after the allegations surfaced at Daniel Hand High in Madison, Connecticut.

The teacher was originally charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

She could have been jailed for up to 20 years if convicted, however she pleaded guilty last November to reduced charges.

Her lawyer William Dow III told the court: "This happened in a very, very tough time in Marchese's life.

"It's incorrect to portray her as someone who lacks remorse."

Judge Melanie Cradle ordered her to have sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender for 10 years.

She will also serve five years probation along with the jail sentence.

The charges she admitted were two counts of first-degree unlawful restraint, two of second-degree reckless endangerment, one of second-degree harassment and one of second-degree threatening.

Her 42-year-old husband filed for divorce three weeks after the scandal broke.