Married female teacher, 30, sentenced to six months behind bars for 18-month sexual relationship with student



Locked up: Megan Denman has been sentenced to six months in jail for having sex with a student

A married high school teacher has been sentenced to six months behind bars for an 18-month sexual relationship she had with a student, which began when he was just 16.

Megan Denman, 30, sobbed as the judge in Fresno County, California announced she would receive jail time for the crime and gave a teary apology to the courtroom for her actions.

'Nothing like this will ever happen again,' she said through tears. 'Every day I live with the guilt and the hate for what I have done.'

She has also been ordered to serve three years on probation but will not have to register as a sex offender when she leaves jail as doctors said she did not have a 'predatory' personality, the Fresno Bee reported.

Denman, who married two years ago and taught social sciences and cheerleading at Hoover High School, was arrested on April 9 but released after posting $55,000 bail.

She pleaded guilty in October to three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and three counts of oral copulation with a minor. The boy was 16 and 17 during their affair.



Denman's lawyer, Roger Nuttall, had argued that she should not go to jail, citing other cases where women teachers had not served any time for similar crimes.



'She knew it was a possibility... It was a bit of a shock to her,' Nuttall told the Fresno Bee.

But she could be released from jail as early as April 30 with good behavior and work credits.



Emotional: Denman broke down in tears when the judge sentenced her to six months behind bars

The affair came to light on April 5 when the student was pulled over driving a car belonging to his teacher and admitted she had loaned it to him - and that they were having a sexual relationship.

He told police they started a relationship in the summer of 2011 and that they would have sex at her home. Police found messages on his phone from Denman reading: 'I love you' and 'I miss you'.

The teen was reluctant to pursue criminal charges against Denman, according to the Fresno Bee, but Denman was arrested four days later.



She resigned from her job and doesn't intend to return to teaching, her attorney said. Her teaching credential was suspended pending outcome of the case.

School chiefs expressed their 'deep disappointment' at Denman's arrest in a letter to parents earlier this month.

Popular: Denman taught social sciences and was the cheerleading coach at Hoover High School

Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson said: 'As we all know there have been incidents throughout the state of teachers taking advantage of the student/teacher relationship.

'Unfortunately, we have learned of an alleged inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student in our own district. Words cannot describe my deep disappointment in this alleged breach of teacher/student relationship.

'We have acted swiftly in taking the appropriate action in removing the teacher from the classroom and the school while these allegations are being investigated.

'The overwhelming majority of our employees are working hard every day to assure the success of our students and our work will not be derailed by these allegations.'

Scene: She was a well-liked teacher at the school (pictured) and many teachers wrote letters in support

Former students commenting on a media report on ABC30's website said they were stunned that Denman was involved with another student describing her as a 'role model'.

One girl wrote: 'Ms Denman was my teacher of two years and also my cheer coach. I have spent enough time with her to know that she was a great teacher/role model and that this news is incredibly shocking to me.

'I can also say that Hoover is a high school with kids who like to start rumors and build bad reputations.'

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