Ex-teacher at top Melbourne private school jailed for relationship with student

A former teacher at a top Melbourne private school has been sentenced to five years' jail for sexually assaulting a student.

Graeme Harder was teaching at Ivanhoe Grammar School in 1989 when he met the victim, a year eight student.

In 1991, when the teenager was 15 and 16 years old, the pair had a year-long relationship.

Harder would leave notes in the boy's locker, instructing him to meet him in the scuba diving store room for sex, and told the complainant he loved him.

The teacher and his student would go away on weekends together, where they would go scuba diving and then have sex, the court heard.

Judge John Carmody told the Victorian County Court that Harder used his position and his charismatic personality to not only lure the victim into the relationship, but to cover his tracks.

Judge Carmody said the victim felt like he was "under the offender's spell" so the teacher could have access to him.

In 2012, the complainant made a connection with Harder via professional social media network LinkedIn, before the pair met up.

The victim recorded their conversation, in which Harder confessed to the sexual relationship, telling the victim he loved him.

The married father-of-two had worked at the school since 1978, and continued teaching at the school until March this year when he was charged with the offences.

Harder pleaded guilty to 12 counts of having sex with the boy and was sentenced to five years' jail with a non-parole period of three years.