Teacher jailed for teen violinist abuse

A Melbourne music teacher who had an ongoing sexual relationship with a teenage girl could be free from prison after 18 months.

Brian Wallwork had "aged out" of his attraction to teenagers, a Victorian County Court judge found, acknowledging nearly 15 years had passed since his offending.

The now 48-year-old was sentenced to two years and 10 months behind bars on Friday after pleading guilty to four charges, involving sexual offending against two girls.

He admitted committing an indecent act with one girl when she was 15 and two charges of sexual penetration of another girl before and after she turned 16.

The pair met through violin playing, although the girl was not his student.

Wallwork taught at Eltham College and had a responsibility to report students he believing were at risk of grooming or sexual abuse.

Instead of reporting it, he became an abuser.

Judge Martine Marich said the ongoing relationship with the young violinist was secret and underhanded.

Wallwork was aware the girl's parents condemned it and as a result they needed to meet covertly, communicating on secret phones he bought her.

He first targeted the girl after a performance on an overnight trip, when he and a group of students stayed at his parents' house.

The young woman told the court she believed Wallwork's interest in her was because she was special and mature for her age.

"I was convinced he was in love with me, but I had been targeted by a pedophile," she said.

They started seeing each other after the first incident and physical contact escalated to sex.

Wallwork infected her with a sexually transmitted infection, which resulted in ongoing gynaecological issues for the young woman.

Now in her 30s, the woman recognised she didn't have the capacity to understand what was happening at the time.

She hid the abuse from her parents and her relationship with them became strained.

"I remember wanting to protect my abuser at all costs," she said.

After his offending against her ended, Wallwork targeted a second student, kissing and groping her.

Judge Marich noted the offending didn't involve physical coercion, but it did involve psychological coercion.

He had not offended since and had engaged in offender specific rehabilitation.

"You have aged out of your attraction to teenagers and are a good prospect for rehabilitation," she said.

Wallwork, who had been on bail, was taken into custody on Friday. He was sentenced as a serious sexual offender.