Convicted: Jaclyn McLaren (pictured), 36, pleaded guilty to sending nude photos of herself to eight boys, giving oral sex to two of them and having sex with a third in her home

A middle-school teacher has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to sending nude photos to, and engaging in sexual acts with, a succession of teens aged 13-18 - and saying it began when the boys blackmailed her.

Jaclyn McLaren, 36, who teaches Grades 6-8 in Tweed, Ontario, was arrested after eight teenage boys - six of whom were her students - came forward to accuse her.

The court heard that the incidents began after a male student found nude photos of her while using her phone in class - allegedly starting a blackmail scheme that ended with her sleeping with several students, CBC reported.

None of the victims are being identified, under Canadian law.

The court heard that the boy showed the nude pictures to his friends during her French class at Tweed Elementary School.

It was alleged that after McLaren, who also goes by the name Jaclyn Jones, asked him to give the phone back to her, one of the boys demanded more pictures in exchange for their silence.

She admitted to sending photos of her breasts in 2014 to one of the boys, who was then 13, using Snapchat.

Another boy said he also received pictures on Snapchat in the summer of 2014, when he was 14, but McLaren said those photos were sent the following year.

McLaren admitted that she later met both boys on a local trail, where she drank beer with them and took them back to her car, where she 'fondled and kissed' them.

She then performed oral sex on both boys, she said. It was unclear how long after the pictures this incident occurred.

Students: Six of McLaren's victims were her students, from Tweed Elementary School (pictured) in Ontario. She said that it began when a student found her nudes on her phone

A third student said that McLaren started sending nude photos of herself to him when he was 15, and that when he turned 18 she had sex with him at her home.

A fourth student showed police screenshots of McLaren's breasts, with her face visible.

The fifth boy was not a student of McLaren's and was 16 when she sent him photos. She said she didn't know how young he was but admitted she hadn't tried hard enough to find out his age.

The sixth boy was 15 when McLaren sent him a video of her fondling her breasts, the court heard.

He and the seventh complainant, who also received photos of her breasts, were both her students at the time.

The final complainant, a 17-year-old, said that she sent him photos of her breasts and a video of herself nude and performing a sex act.

She said she didn't know his age, but again admitted to not taking reasonable steps to find out.

She was originally hit with 42 charges, but as many of them referred to the same offenses, and Canadian courts don't allow someone to be convicted twice of the same crime, they were reduced in number.

McLaren was ultimately convicted on two counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of luring, one of possession of child pornography, one of making explicit material available to people under 18 and one of making it available to people under 16.

McLaren has been jailed for two years and placed on the sex offender's registry

She will have two years of probation on release, is banned from using social media, and can't be in contact with anyone under 18 online, CTV News Toronto said.

She is banned from going near playground or public places where children are likely to be for ten years after release.

The ex-teacher will also be registered as a sex offender and has been ordered to undergo 'sexual treatment'.

'We are aware that sentencing took place today for Jaclyn McLaren,' said Mandy Savery-Whiteway, director of education for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, where McLaren worked, on Friday.

'We recognize that this has been a challenging and difficult situation for everyone involved. Employee matters are confidential. No further details will be released at this time.'