The woman denied suggestions that she had 'groomed' the student, whom she had taught in fifth and sixth year, via Snapchat.

The inquiry heard the teacher is serving a prison sentence of 8½ years after being convicted of three counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault.

The High Court heard that the principal hugged the student teacher, as well as placing his hands inside her jacket, touching her back and waist

In an email to the regulatory body last July in response to the inquiry’s findings, the principal claimed there was “not much left for the Teaching Council to take from me.”

A fitness-to-teach inquiry had previously heard evidence in July that the teacher had sex with a then 18-year-old female student on her mother’s bed and in his car and apartment after sharing explicit photos with her on Snapchat.