Stephen Bruce Buckley in court for mingling with children at Auslan Journey

A volunteer who dressed as Santa and was photographed with deaf children on his lap at a Sunshine Coast Christmas event was prohibited from interacting with children.

A court has heard how a Dicky Beach man who was previously convicted of an offence involving a child, didn’t have a Blue Card when he mingled with deaf children at a Christmas event in Caloundra.

Stephen Bruce Buckley faced Caloundra Magistrates Court on September 14, 2022, where he was given a six-month good behaviour bond of $600 after pleading guilty to not having clearance to work with children being a person prohibited from regulated employment without clearance.

The court heard Buckley worked as a volunteer for Sunshine Coast organisation Auslan Journey without a Blue Card when he came dressed as Santa for an event at Happy Valley on December 5, 2021.

Police prosecutor Stephen Potter said Buckley was a “disqualified person” under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act and met with children and their families at the Christmas party.

“Pictures of the event on social media show (Buckley) with young children on his lap and surrounding him as he read books, communicated with and gave them presents,” Sergeant Potter said.

Court documents revealed Buckley was convicted in 2005 of a criminal offence involving a child which prohibited him from applying for a Blue Card and he spent four months in actual custody.

Sergeant Potter said Buckley had also been asked by Auslan Journey to conduct video calls with deaf children.

Timeslots for some of the Zoom calls had been booked but they were later cancelled, the court heard.

Sergeant Potter said the founder of Auslan Journey confirmed to police that Buckley had been volunteering at the organisation.

Court documents stated the founder of Auslan Journey did not know at the time that Buckley was prohibited from engaging in such a role involving children.

The founder said they did not intend to invite others to volunteer at any other events without having first sighted a current Blue Card.

Defence solicitor Patrick Meehan said his client had been deaf for his entire life and as a result his education was limited.

“(Buckley’s) comprehension limited his understanding that volunteering was inclusive of work as defined in the Act,” Mr Meehan told the court.

“Everyone was asked to dress up as something that started with the first letter of their name … on the day the opportunity was used to engage the defendant with the children.”

The court heard Buckley had not reoffended in 17 years and was on the Disability Support Pension.

A conviction was not recorded.

Sunshine Coast Daily approached Auslan Journey for comment but they declined.