Female teacher accused of repeated sex with a 14-year-old student hires a famous lawyer who made her name prosecuting some of Australia’s worst criminals
- Monica Elizabeth Young, 23, is fighting sex charges involving a 14-year-old pupil
- The Sydney teacher has enlisted a powerful ally: barrister Margaret Cunneen SC
- Cunneen successfully had gang rapist Bilal Skaf, predator Michael Guider jailed
- Expected to be prosecuted by the son of defence barrister Winston Terracini
The female teacher accused of repeated sex with a 14-year-old boy from her Sydney school will have a powerful ally in her corner when she stands trial later this year.
The former top prosecutor Margaret Cunneen SC has been tapped to defend Monica Elizabeth Young, 23, a court heard on Monday.
But authorities will lean on the son of another equally famous lawyer to try and prove that Young had sexual intercourse with her pupil and sexted him on Snapchat.
Sydney teacher Monica Elizabeth Young is fighting charges involving a 14-year-old pupil at her former school. Above, at court last month
Young has pleaded not guilty to a series of charges including alleged sexual intercourse with the boy. She is also on right
Alexander Terracini, the Crown Prosecutor son of arguably the country’s best known defence barrister Winston Terracini SC, will be briefed for the prosecution.
Young, who had only just started her teaching career, has pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges against her.
She has been bailed to live with family and isn’t working as a teacher while awaiting trial.
Young’s barrister Ms Cunneen famously locked up gang rapist Bilal Skaf and notorious predator Michael Guider in a previous role.
Ms Cunneen began working as a defence counsel in recent years and has since represented clients including former top cop Gary Jubelin.
Powerful ally: Former Crown Prosecutor Margaret Cunneen is expected to represent Monica Young in court
Winston Terracini SC has been described as ‘arguably Australia’s most famous defence barrister’. His son is expected to be the Crown Prosecutor in the Young case at trial
Bilal Skaf (left) led a gang of Lebanese youths who committed a series of pack rapes in Sydney’s south-west. Young’s defence lawyer, Margaret Cunneen SC, had him jailed. Meanwhile, baby killer Keli Lane (right) was defended at trial by Winston Terracini SC – whose son is expected to prosecute Young at trial
Prosecutor Mr Terracini is a junior counsel who followed his father into legal practice.
The list of clients his dad has represented reads like a history of the country’s most famous criminal cases – Gordon Wood, Keli Lane and Harriet Wran.
Alexander was admitted as a lawyer in 2010 and to the bar in 2014.
He is expected to go toe-to-toe with Ms Cunneen later during a five day trial this September.
District Court Judge Kate Traill previously heard Young’s alleged victim will give pre-recorded evidence at trial.
The prosecution expects to call two further witnesses.
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