A young relief teacher accused of grooming a teenage boy may have the charges against her dropped, a court has heard.
Ammy-Clara Singleton, from Port Augusta in South Australia, was arrested in December and charged with communicating with a child under 17 to ‘engage in, or submit to, sexual activity’.
A Snapchat message is understood to be at the centre of the police allegations.
The 28-year-old was supported by her lawyer when she arrived at the town’s local court on Wednesday morning wearing a crucifix around her neck, hiding her face with a black mask and sunglasses.
Ms Singleton sat in the witness box as the public prosecutor told Magistrate David McLeod that her case – which made headlines across the country – is under review by prosecutors and ‘may not proceed’.
Relief teacher Ammy-Clare Singleton appeared in Port Augusta Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning (pictured) where court heard prosecutors were considering dropping charges
Ammy Singleton’s case was adjourned to August 10, when it is expected she will enter a plea
The matter was adjourned to August 10, when it is expected she will enter a plea.
Ms Singleton refused to comment outside court when asked how she felt about the prospect of charges being dropped.
During her last appearance in May, the court heard Ms Singleton came in contact with the male victim at a sporting club.
Defence lawyer, Andrew Fowler-Walker, said the alleged victim was not a student of Ms Singleton, and that he contacted her through a chat room.
The mother-of-one was an accomplished netball player who was teaching at six schools when she was arrested last year.
She was subsequently stood down from all teaching roles.
Her mother Sharon Platt previously told Daily Mail Australia that the 28-year-old would claim she was sent a message on Snapchat from a teenage boy, which led to the allege charge being laid.
Ms Singleton (pictured) sat in the witness box as the public prosecutor told Magistrate David McLeod that her case ‘may not proceed’
Ammy-Clare Singleton has a three-year-old son with her ex-husband. They broke up two years ago
Ms Platt said her daughter was a ‘doting mum’ who lives with her parents and three-year-old son – having left her husband two years ago.
She explained when Ms Singleton goes out with her friends, she regularly calls home to ask how her little boy is doing with his grandparents – usually ending her evenings early to ensure she is there if her son wakes during the night.
Ms Platt said her daughter, who is an indigenous Australian, aspired to be a teacher because she wanted to support Aboriginal children at school.
‘She wanted to be a teacher because kids weren’t getting a fair go, and she’s a black girl and she stands by her culture,’ she said.
When speaking about Ms Singleton’s future, the mother broke down – asking how her daughter will pay off her $80,000 university debt without a job.
Ms Platt couldn’t hide her devastation when she said her daughter will ‘never have a career again’.
‘She will never have a life again, and she’s never done a bad thing to anyone but she’s guilty until proven innocent.’
Ms Singleton (pictured outside her home) has been accused of grooming a child under 17
Ammy Singleton (pictured) lives with her parents and three-year-old son in Port Augusta, South Australia
‘She’ll have her day in court, but she will never get her life back and neither will we.
Ms Platt wondered if the attention on Ms Singleton was largely due to her good looks, and said she receives multiple anonymous phone calls from people who ask ‘are you proud of your daughter?’.
Ms Singleton graduated from UniSA with a Bachelor of Education (Primary and Middle) in 2017, before returning to her hometown and becoming a full-time mum.
She then pursued work as a casual teacher at six schools, including Flinders View Primary School and Port Augusta West Primary School.
A former Flinders View student told The Advertiser that Ms Singleton was ‘a nice teacher’.
The school’s principal Anna Nayda sent a letter to parents confirmed the relief teacher worked there between February 2017 and April 2018, but that the allegations did not involve one of their students.
If she is found guilty of the offence, Ms Singleton faces 10 years prison.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk