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Lindsay Himmelspach: PE teacher branded a 'predator' after unlawful sex with two male students

The mother of one of the boys says he told her: 'She was my teacher, Mom. What was I supposed to do?'

Jess Staufenberg
Friday 17 June 2016 18:02 BST
The two 17-year-olds who the 33-year-old teacher had unlawful sex with, or statutory rape, cannot be named
The two 17-year-olds who the 33-year-old teacher had unlawful sex with, or statutory rape, cannot be named (Facebook)

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A PE teacher has been sentenced to jail and an extended probationary period after having sex with two of her male students.

Lindsay Himmelspach, from California, who has been a teacher for 10 years, will spend 120 days in jail and then move into probation after the judge noted her remorse over her actions.

The 33-year-old teacher had sex with two of her 17-year-old students at Las Plumas High School in California between May and September 2015. In California, sex with people under 18 is considered statuatory rape.

The mother of one of the boys, who cannot be named, said the woman was a "sexual predator" and that when she had questioned her son about the incident he had said: "She was my teacher, mum. What was I supposed to do?"

She also criticised some of the officers' conclusions about the male students, including that the victims were "not particularly vulnerable", according to the Chico Enterprise Record.

But the mother of one of the boys told the court that her child had shown signs of anger, depression and even threatened to kill himself since the relationship with Himmelspach.

Las Palmas High School in California, where the 33-year-old teacher had been for a number of years
Las Palmas High School in California, where the 33-year-old teacher had been for a number of years

The prosecutor added that the teacher had abused her position of power and trust by having relationships with the two victims, and had deliberately organiesd places to meet away from the school so as to avoid being caught.

Himmelspach had reportedly also shared sexually explicit videos with both boys.

A decision over whether Himmelspach should be placed on the sex offenders' list has been postponed by the judge until a hearing in August.

Her defence had said it was unlikely she would commit another sexual crime, while the prosecution said the case showed a "pattern of events" and was "not an isolated act".

She had pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, or statutory rape.

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