A former Drouin High School metalwork teacher has been handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to seven counts of indecent assault against a former student.
John McLachlan, 81, of Northcote (formerly of Drouin) was employed as a teacher at the secondary school from 1963 to 1992.
On Thursday, Melbourne County Court judge Anne Hassan handed down a suspended sentence of two years and eight months to Mr McLachlan, who appeared remotely, and ordered he be placed on the sex offenders registry for life.
"Your offending was a gross breach of trust, your duty was to nurture and educate your students and not to exploit them and corrupt them," she said.
"Your offending is very serious, and your morale culpability is high."

Dressed in a blue striped button-down shirt and sporting a grey mousta