Judge Mark Taft made the comments in the Melbourne County Court yesterday during a plea hearing for Hamilton woman Diane Brimble.

Brimble was found guilty by a jury in the Warrnambool County Court of committing an indecent act with a child aged under 16 years.

The 47-year-old mother of eight will never teach again after the guilty verdict.

Brimble pleaded not guilty to six charges — five counts of committing an indecent act with a child aged under 16 years and one charge of using a telecommunications device to groom a child.

A jury cleared her of five charges, but found her guilty of one count of committing an indecent act, which involved hugging and kissing the boy and asking him to have sex.

Judge Mark Taft yesterday described the report of psychologist Tess Howells as essentially a “barrack” for Brimble, despite the jury’s verdict.

He quoted from the report, which said Brimble never had any intent other than to support the victim, that she treated him like one of her children and she was naive to her actions being misinterpreted by the boy.

Judge Taft said while the report was a ringing endorsement of Brimble, he remained entirely baffled about the defendant’s psycho-sexual profile and her motivation for committing the offence.

He said the report simply did not address why Brimble acted in the bizarre way she had.

Judge Taft said he was not dealing with sentencing in a case involving blurred lines or misinterpretations, but a guilty verdict where Brimble had sought to go to bed with a 10-year-old boy to have sex.

He said the report indicated Brimble was not guilty of any offence, but was misguided, acted out of maternal sentiment and did not intend to commit an offence.

“I am openly entirely quite baffled by Ms Brimble’s conduct,” he said. 

“I intended to receive a psychological report which addressed what moved and motivate Ms Brimble. I had hoped a report would provide a level of understanding or insight. It does not, to my enduring ignorance.”

Judge Taft said the report also failed to address the gravity of the offending.

“I am entirely unassisted as to why she acted in the way she did and if she will act so in future,” he said.

The judge said there were troubling elements to the case, such as Brimble having the boy’s name tattooed on her chest with an infinity symbol and a series of statements of her continued love, desire and affection for the boy.

“I consider Ms Brimble’s conduct as bizarre as any case I’ve seen in this court. It’s extraordinary conduct,” he said.

Defence counsel Jennifer Clark said not being able to teach again was a significant penalty after Ms Brimble worked so hard to become qualified.

“This has been an extraordinary taxing process,” she said.

Ms Clark said Brimble was arrested at her school and since being found guilty she has had her car tyres slashed and been the subject of a social media campaign which involved a considerable measure of public harassment and humiliation.

Judge Taft ordered Brimble be assessed for a community corrections order which is expected to include assessment and treatment for sexual offending.