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Their relationship became physical in mid-2011. The pair kissed intimately and held each over repeatedly during several months while the student was still underage.

Consent is irrelevant in the case, which is instead concerned with abuse of the power and trust of the teacher-student relationship, Crown attorney Melanie Nancekievill said.

“I’m sorry for what I did,” Organ said in court. “I accept that responsibility.”

Her relationship with the student continued until 2017, when it ended after the student assaulted Organ and Organ’s younger daughter, according to an agreed statement of facts.

The latter years of the relationship were peppered with domestic violence against Organ, Nancekievill read in court.

Organ was charged after the student provided letters to the school – and those letters were forwarded to police – indicating sexual contact with Organ.

The 51-year-old has the support of her family, partner and several others in the community – including the student, who the court heard doesn’t want Organ punished – and has been assessed as having virtually no risk to reoffend, Wickramasinghe said.

“This is an exceptional case that involves exceptional people,” he said.

The court’s concern is denunciation and deterrence, Nancekievill said, noting the position of trust and power teachers hold over their students.

“This was not a single lapse in judgement,” she said. “This took place over several months.”

Organ has no previous criminal record.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 14, giving time, Justice George Orsini said, for him to weigh a request from the victim to waive a publication ban that protects the student’s identity.

A charge of sexual assault Organ did not plead to Monday will also be dealt with at that time, Nancekievill said

Organ’s teaching licence was suspended after her arrest in 2017.

tkula@postmedia.com