Judge Criticizes Teacher’s Apology, Says It Fell Short in Sexual Battery Case

A judge presiding over the sentencing of a 43-year-old married Catholic school teacher has deemed her courtroom apology in a sexual battery case “inadequate,” emphasizing that it failed to recognize the full scope of harm caused to her teenage victim.

Emily Nutley, formerly a teacher at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery involving a 17-year-old male student. In her apology delivered in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, she acknowledged crossing a forbidden boundary, expressed remorse over the impact of her actions—which included the loss of her marriage, home, friendships, and her children’s reputation—and said she was seeking professional help. However, Judge Jennifer Branch sharply criticized the statement.

“I was looking for you to say that you acknowledge the harm that you caused this young man,” Judge Branch stated, pointing out that Nutley did not sufficiently address the long-term emotional and educational consequences her actions inflicted upon her student.

The student, whose letter was read aloud in court, described being “traumatized, confused and depressed” following the incidents, which occurred between November and December 2023. He recounted threats made by Nutley of self-harm if he attempted to end the relationship, and detailed persistent public harassment that continued to affect his high school experience.

Despite the apology, Nutley appeared to minimize her responsibility, attributing her behavior partly to what she described as “neglect” by her husband. She stressed she was not seeking forgiveness, saying: “I am not asking for forgiveness because I have not earned it.”

Judge Branch, however, was firm in her rebuke. She noted that Nutley “pretty much ruined the rest of his high school career” and rebuked her lack of acknowledgment about the disruption to the student’s education, emotional development, and trust in authority.

Nutley was sentenced to three years in state prison. In addition to sexual battery charges, her conviction has led to public censure, divorce proceedings initiated by her husband, loss of employment, and significant emotional turmoil for her family and the victim.

As she begins serving her sentence, the case highlights the deep trauma such misconduct can inflict—and underscores the importance of fully acknowledging victims’ pain in seeking accountability.