A former private school teacher who sent explicit messages detailing sexual contact to a minor will serve his sentence in the community rather than a prison cell. William Roberto Gulson, a 28-year-old former English and drama teacher at Sydney's elite Knox Grammar School, engaged in a 90-minute online exchange in 2024 with someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy. In reality, the recipient was a 14-year-old who, along with another teenager, was operating a fake profile on the LGBTQI dating app Grindr in an attempt to catch paedophiles.
Sentence and Conditions
On Friday, Gulson stood frozen as he was sentenced to a three-year community corrections order and ordered to complete 400 hours of community service at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. He will also be listed on the New South Wales child protection register for eight years, must report any new tattoos, and is prohibited from using online gaming platforms that allow communication with children.
Judge's Criticism
Judge Hugh Donnelly criticised Gulson's account of the text exchange as 'improbable, implausible and inconsistent with the logical course of events'. He noted that Gulson telling the teenager he was 'super conflicted' demonstrated that the former educator knew his actions were wrong. The teacher acknowledged that his correspondent was 'young, super young', the court was told. Judge Donnelly stated: 'Once the conversation began, the defendant was very deliberate in terms of expression and keenness.'
Sexual Interest and Search History
Judge Donnelly determined that Gulson had a sexual interest in children when he found him guilty of procuring a child for unlawful sexual activity in January. He revealed that Gulson had browsed for child abuse material and rape scenes, logging 166 searches of pornography sites featuring teenage boys over a three-month period in 2024. The judge described Gulson's messages to the 15-year-old as 'extremely explicit', mentioning kissing and licking, and highlighted a message that read: 'do you find it hot you're the same age as my students?'
Potential Harm and Appeal
Gulson also expressed willingness to meet up, encouraging the teen to sneak out of their parents' home to find a 'quiet place' for sexual activity, the court was previously told. However, the teenager deleted the Grindr account before any meeting occurred, and no harm came to the child. Judge Donnelly acknowledged the 'real potential for harm' but considered the loss of Gulson's teaching career when imposing the sentence. He took a 'guarded view' of Gulson's rehabilitation prospects, noting that the former teacher had 'cast himself as the victim' because the child was 'a civilian with malicious intent'. Gulson has lodged an appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
