A 29-year-old high school teacher in Sydney has been arrested and charged with grooming a 14-year-old girl and offering her money for sexually explicit material. Police allege the man, who taught at a boys' secondary school, first contacted the girl on 18 March, despite not knowing her previously.
The girl reported the incident to her parents, who then alerted authorities. The teacher was arrested at his home in Beecroft, in Sydney's north, at 5.45am on Thursday. He has been charged with using a carriage service to groom a child under 16 for sex and using a carriage service to access child abuse material.
Detective Acting Superintendent Karl Leis said the man pressured the child to send explicit images in exchange for money, though the sum was not significant. Police are investigating whether there are other victims. 'We will certainly be taking steps to thoroughly investigate the matter, to ascertain if there are any other children who have been victims of this particular predator,' Leis said.
The teacher was denied bail and faced Burwood Local Court on Thursday. Police have not named the school where he worked. Leis urged parents to monitor their children's online activity, calling the case 'a timely reminder'.
