Former primary school teacher Clayton John Page jailed for ‘highly sexualised’ conversations with young girls

This man was trusted to teach young children for over a decade. Now he’s in jail for his heinous messages to young girls.

A veteran primary school teacher who solicited nude images from a 12-year-old girl, before having “sexually explicit conversations” and arranging to meet up with a “14-year-old” girl, had been raising money for kids’ mental health before he was arrested, The Advertiser can reveal.

Disgraced primary school teacher Clayton Page was silent as he appeared via audio visual link from custody in the District Court on Thursday morning.

Page, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity, and one count of possessing child exploitation material.

He was arrested by elite detectives from the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team in September last year after sending sexually explicit messages to who he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

That girl, however, turned out to be a covert police officer, and JACET detectives arrested Page after he had expressed interest in “meeting up”.

His children and former partner watched from the court gallery on Thursday morning as Judge Nicolas Alexandrides recounted the disturbing messages the now deregistered teacher had sent to the undercover officer.

“You suggested that the correspondent wag school and meet you at the Royal Adelaide Show, and that you could pretend to be her father,” Judge Alexandrides said.

Former school teacher Clayton Page has been jailed for crimes against children. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Emma Brasier

The 57-year-old will be eligible for parole in August next year. Picture: LinkedIn

“That communication ended with a winky face emoji.

“The following night, the correspondent messaged you to say she was going to have a shower. There followed a series of messages from you, including that you might ask her for shower pics.

“The series of messages also included a substantial exchange about whether the correspondent engaged in masturbation and in which you suggested explicit techniques for masturbating.”

His messages to the covert officer also included asking if he could set “her” some “naughty homework,” and saying he could pretend to “be your uncle” if the pair met in person.

Following his arrest, police conducted a search of Page’s phone, uncovering another conversation he had in May 2022 – however this conversation was with an actual child.

“The child told you she was 12 years old, to which you responded ‘a very horny, naughty twelve’. You then told the child you were aged 56 years.

“You and the child engaged in a very highly sexualised conversation.”

Judge Alexandrides said Page then asked the child for “something to rub to”, before obtaining child exploitation material from her.

“That material has been assessed as category one – which is the most serious category of such material.”

Andrew Ey, for Page, previously told the court a psychologist had evaluated Page, and came to the conclusion that he “does not meet the diagnostic criteria of a pedophile”, but rather indulged a sexual “fantasy” when conversing online.

Judge Alexandrides said Page had developed an addiction to “sexting” after the breakdown of his most recent relationship, and although hadn’t “actively sought out children”, he failed to stop engaging with the young girls because he was “bored”.

Page was most recently a teacher at Mark Oliphant College. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / Emma Brasier

However, The Advertiser can now reveal Page, who had most recently taught primary school aged children at Mark Oliphant College in the northern suburbs, had started a fundraiser for ‘kids’ mental health’ less than six months after he had obtained the child exploitation material.

“I’m raising money to support Smiling Mind’s preventative mental health programs in schools by taking part in the Walk for Kids’ Mental Health this November,” Page wrote on his fundraising page in November 2022.

“Your contribution will make a tangible impact and help the mental health of Australian kids.”

Judge Alexandrides jailed Page for four years, one month and 12 days, with a non-parole period of one year and ten months.

That sentence was backdated to his arrest last year, meaning Page will be eligible for parole in August 2025.

Outside court, his former partner – who had provided a character statement to the court – and his adult daughter declined to comment.