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A young relief teacher who made headlines when she unwittingly landed in the middle of a bizarre teenage love triangle has had her child grooming charge dropped in court.
Ammy-Clara Singleton, 28, was arrested on December 23 last year in Port Augusta, South Australia, and charged with communicating with a child under 17 to ‘engage in, or submit to, sexual activity’.
The town’s local court heard in May that, between November 1 and 30 last year, Ms Singleton was contacted by a 16-year-old boy on Snapchat.
He was not one of her students and, according to her mother Sharon Platt, the young mum had never even met the teen – claiming the initial complaint came from the boy’s jealous girlfriend.
However, in Port Augusta Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, prosecutors said the complainant did not wish to proceed with the matter.
Ammy-Clara Singleton (pictured) was cleared of all charges in Port Augusta Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday
Relief teacher Ms Singleton (pictured outside court in July) was previously told that prosecutors were considering dropping charges
‘Therefore we are withdrawing the charge,’ the prosecutor said, according to the Adelaide Advertiser.
It comes just two weeks after the public prosecutor told Magistrate David McLeod that her case was being reviewed and ‘may not proceed’.
Ms Singleton declined to comment outside court at the time.
She arrived with a crucifix around her neck, hiding her face with a black mask and sunglasses.
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.
When speaking with Daily Mail Australia earlier this year, Ms Platt wondered why her daughter’s matter attracted so much attention when similar cases can largely go unnoticed.
Ms Singleton (pictured) has a young son and lives with her parents. Her mother was devastated about the charge against her
‘Is it because she’s beautiful?’ Ms Singleton’s mother Sharon Platt asked about why her daughter’s case attracted so much attention. ‘Is that her only crime?’
‘Is it because she’s beautiful?’ Ms Platt asked, through tears. ‘Is that her only crime?’
She continued to defend her daughter: ‘Ammy doesn’t even know the bloke.’
‘She has done nothing. It’s all because some other girl was sleeping with a boy and got jealous.’
Ms Platt said the young teacher 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 Singleton (pictured) sat in the witness box in July as the public prosecutor told Magistrate David McLeod that her case ‘may not proceed’
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.’
‘She’ll have her day in court, but she will never get her life back and neither will we.’
Ms Singleton (pictured) taught at six schools around Port Augusta. She was stood down from all teaching roles following the charge
The family have lived in Port Augusta for decades, but Ms Platt said they planned to move when the case was over.
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 to confirm the relief teacher worked there between February 2017 and April 2018, but that the allegations did not involve one of their students.