Sydney principal barred after being caught ‘sexually’ touching students

The former principal of a Sydney school has been banned from teaching ever again after the disgusting incident.

EXCLUSIVE

A Sydney principal who was caught touching the breasts of two female students and the thighs of three others has been barred from ever teaching again.

Former Gateway Community School principal Roger Ashcroft was found guilty of two counts of sexually touching a child aged between 10 and 16 years of age.

Last week, Ashcroft attempted to appeal the two convictions in the NSW District Court. However, they were upheld.

In a statement to news.com.au, the NSW Education Department said Ashcroft was no longer an employee and was now banned from teaching.

“The safety of our students is always our number one priority,” it said.

Ashcroft is now barred from teaching in NSW. Picture: YouTube

“Roger Ashcroft is not an employee of the department and cannot work in any NSW public school or departmental office.”

The first incident in which Ashcroft was convicted occurred at Gateway Community High School, in Carlingford, in Sydney’s north west.

The court heard how Ashcroft walked over to check a girl’s work, put his arm on her shoulder and started to “go down” near her breast before “grabbing and feeling around that area”.

She said she pushed him away with her right hand before the school bell rang.

The second incident occurred at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, in the city’s west at the foot of the Blue Mountains.

Ashcroft placed his hand over “the full area of the breast” with the touching going on for “a couple of seconds”.

Roger Ashcroft was found guilty of two counts of sexually touching a child. Picture: Calum Robertson

The girl rang her mother before a teacher witnessed her crying and took her to the deputy principal to report the incident.

The court also heard evidence from three other students who said Ashcroft touched them on the thigh.

Ashcroft was originally charged over the three thigh-touching incidents, however, was later acquitted of the charges.

The Crown instead used the accounts as “tendency evidence” to prove Ashcroft had a sexual interest in his students.

Ashcroft was principal of Gateway Community High. Picture: News Corp Australia

He is now banned from teaching. Picture: Google Maps

District Court Judge Alister Abadee upheld the two convictions, finding that Ashcroft was “sexually interested in teenage schoolgirls and had an associated tendency to opportunistically act on it”.

Ashcroft attempted to argue that the incidents were either accidental or not sexual.

However, Judge Abadee found that the three thigh-touching incidents “manifested a tendency” that proved Ashcroft acted intentionally while touching the two girls’ breasts.

He will now serve a community corrections order for two years and eight months starting on his original sentencing date of February 13, 2024.

He will be subject to supervision in the community and required to serve 200 hours of community service during that time.

Ashcroft and Gateway Community School have been contacted for comment.

Is there a case we should be covering? Get in touch with our reporter. [e-mail]

Originally published as Sydney principal barred after being caught ‘sexually’ touching students