Sydney private school teacher charged with grooming a 14-year-old girl and accessing child abuse material
Consensus Summary
A Sydney private school teacher named Benjamin David Collinge, aged 29, was arrested on March 28, 2024, after allegedly grooming a 14-year-old girl by posing as a 17-year-old boy on social media. Collinge, a casual music teacher at prestigious Newington College, allegedly pressured the vulnerable girl into sending sexually explicit material in exchange for money. Police found child abuse material on his devices during a search of his Beecroft home, and he was charged with grooming a minor and accessing child abuse material. Collinge was refused bail and remanded in custody until April 2, with Newington College confirming he had been sacked and no students were involved. Both sources agree the girlās parents reported the incident to police on March 27, and Collinge had a valid Working with Children Check despite no prior complaints. The case highlights concerns about online grooming and the need for parental awareness of childrenās digital activity.
ā Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Benjamin David Collinge, a 29-year-old casual music teacher at Newington College, was arrested on March 28, 2024, in Beecroft, Sydneyās north, for allegedly grooming a 14-year-old girl and accessing child abuse material
- Collinge allegedly posed as a 17-year-old boy on social media to contact the vulnerable 14-year-old girl, who was using an app affected by Australiaās under-16 social media ban
- Collinge offered the girl a ānot significantā amount of money in exchange for sexually explicit material, with multiple messages exchanged between them
- Police found child abuse material on an electronic device during a search of Collingeās Beecroft home
- Collinge was charged with using a carriage service to groom someone under 16 and using a carriage service to access child abuse material
- Newington College terminated Collingeās employment after his arrest, with headmaster Michael Parker confirming no Newington students were involved in the allegations
- Collinge was remanded in custody until April 2, 2024, and refused bail at Burwood Local Court
- Collinge had a valid Working with Children Check and completed mandatory child protection training at Newington College since 2015
- The girlās parents alerted police after discovering the communications with Collinge on March 27, 2024
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Collinge allegedly first made contact with the child via a social media app on Wednesday last week (March 27, 2024)
- Detective Acting Superintendent Karl Leis emphasized that these offences are committed āin the privacy of someoneās own homeā
- Newington Collegeās annual tuition ranges from $27,819 (kindergarten) to $48,141 (year 12)
- Collinge is a former Newington student who graduated in 2014
- SMH included specific contact details for national sexual assault counselling services (1800 Respect, CASA, Kids Helpline)
- Police descended on Collingeās Beecroft home at approximately 5:45am on the day of his arrest (March 28, 2024)
- ABC included a supplied photo of Collingeās arrest by NSW Police
- ABC noted Collinge worked in casual roles with the music department at Wyvern House and Lindfield campuses since 2015
- ABC explicitly stated Collinge was taken to Gladesville Police Station after his arrest
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources
Source Articles
Private school teacher allegedly āpressuredā vulnerable girl, 14, for abuse material
Police allege the former Newington College secondary teacher posed as a 17-year-old to offer the teenager cash in exchange for sexually explicit material....
Sydney private school teacher charged with grooming 14yo girl
A casual teacher at Newington College has been charged with allegedly encouraging a 14-year-old girl to send sexually explicit images for money....