Dean Carelse sentenced for offences against children

A former private school teacher will be deported after he was sentenced for grooming a child and videoing children in their togs. READ WHAT HAPPENED IN COURT:

A former Sunshine Coast private school teacher who videoed children at a swimming pool and groomed a 13-year-old has been described as having an “entrenched interest” in children.

Dean Carelse was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to 19 charges including 14 counts of indecently treating a child under 16 (taking photograph etc) as a carer.

Maroochydore District Court heard the now 41-year-old videoed childrens’ genitalia at a pool in November 28, 2019.

The videos were found on covert applications on his phone.

Judge Glen Cash said Carelse also groomed a 13-year-old between January 1, 2020 and February 15, 2021.

Mr Cash said Carelse’s offending didn’t include intimate touching however was “demonstrous of his sexual interest in the child”.

“There are various circumstances set out of you ... interacting with the child and including touching in the nature of rubbing shoulders, tussling hair and arms … when you were alone with him,” he said.

Mr Cash said Carelse also recorded the child on an occasion when they were alone.

The court heard Carelse stole sporting equipment that he also gave to the child.

Police found a “substantial” amount of child exploitation material on two phones in Carelse’s possession on March 20, 2021.

The material included 2026 images and 486 videos of pre-pubescent children under the age of 13 and included the 14 videos recorded by Carelse at the swimming pool.

Dean Carelse leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court. Picture: Sunshine Coast Daily.

Crown prosecutor Greg Cummings said the child exploitation material offence occurred after Carelse had videoed the children and groomed the child.

“There seems to be an entrenched interest by the time of the offence of possession of child exploitation material,” he said.

Mr Cummings suggested a prison sentence of two years could be suspended after the time Carelse had already served.

He said there was a need to punish Carelse and deter others from committing the same crimes.

Barrister Ben Power said Carelse was sincerely remorseful for his behaviour and understood it was a “gross” breach of trust.

“He realises that what he did was very, very wrong,” he said.

Mr Power said Carelse couldn’t explain why he committed the “unusual set of offences”.

“To the best my client can explain it is a sequence of events to his lonely state ... and his unhealthy, improper admiration of this young … (child),” he said.

The court heard Carelse would be deported to South Africa upon his release from prison.

Mr Power said extensive media coverage of Carelse’s court case meant the 41-year-old and his family had suffered public shaming in Australia and South Africa.

He said comments on South African social media pages included direct threats to Carelse who as a schoolboy was a captain of a known rugby team.

“He has attracted enormous and very vehement attention in South Africa, that he has disgraced South Africa,” Mr Power said.

The court heard Carelse had undertaken religious-based courses while in prison and would engage with a psychologist in South Africa.

Mr Power said Carelse and his family were dedicated to his rehabilitation.

He said Carelse’s timely plea, remorse and significant co-operation meant Judge Glen Cash could consider imposing a sentence of 18 months coupled with a suspension.

Mr Cash noted Carelse’s remorse, rehabilitation aspirations, the degree of public shaming and his loss of career, but said his sentence needed to send a message to him and the community.

“That is sending this message finally to you to as to the unacceptability of what you did in terms of the conduct that you engaged in, particularly in your offending against children,” he said.

He said a two-year prison sentence suspended after 271 days reflected the criminality of the offending.

The court heard Carelse had no criminal history.

Carelse’s 271 days of pre-sentence custody was declared as time already served.