Former Beaconsfield Primary School teacher Nicholas O’Shea avoids jail over sexual assault of boys

A former Beaconsfield Primary School grade 6 teacher who sexually assaulted and groomed young boys over more than a decade has escaped jail in a sentence slammed by his ex-teaching colleagues as “a joke”.

Nicholas O'Shea leaves court on Friday. Picture: Supplied

A former primary school teacher who sexually assaulted and groomed young boys over more than a decade has escaped jail despite his ongoing risk of reoffending in a sentence slammed by his ex-teaching colleagues as “a joke”.

Nicholas O’Shea, 31, a former Beaconsfield Primary School grade 6 teacher, was handed a three-year community corrections order and $2000 fine in the County Court on Friday for his predatory sexual offending against nine males aged as young as 14 from 2012 to 2023.

One of his victims, Rhys Bumpstead, and several former teaching colleagues were among a large group of people who stared down O’Shea, labelling him a “pedo” and “prick” as he walked free from court accompanied by his parents.

Nicholas O'Shea escaped a prison sentence. Picture: Supplied

Mr Bumpstead, now 26, who gave consent to be identified as a sexual assault victim, said he was disappointed his abuser wouldn’t spend time behind bars.

“It was a very scary ordeal and experience as a young teenager,” he said.

Another victim was said to have gone through “hell and back” after years of being disbelieved.

Shoana Carey, who worked as a schoolteacher alongside O’Shea as he secretly offended against boys, described the sentence as “a joke”.

Wearing a T-shirt with the message #gotchabitch, Ms Carey said: “How can a teacher get that sort of consequence? He knew what he was doing and what the boundaries are.”

“Other states who have teachers that offend like that get jail time – why are we any different?”

Now a lifelong registered sex offender, O’Shea was sentenced by Judge Stewart Bayles to a recognisance order meaning he was spared a 12-month jail term but risks future imprisonment if he reoffends in the next three years.

Victim survivor Rhys Bumpstead said he was disappointed his abuser wouldn’t spend time behind bars. Picture: Supplied

O’Shea sexually assaulted two young victims and sent hundreds of sexually explicit messages and images and videos of his penis to multiple boys over Snapchat over the course of 11 years.

The court heard O’Shea requested oral sex and other sexual favours from the underage victims including one he asked to meet him in a cinema.

“Stick your penis in a popcorn box and I’ll eat around it,” O’Shea wrote to the boy.

Two of the males were asleep when they woke to disturbing sexual attacks by O’Shea.

After getting a boy drunk at a house party, O’Shea stripped naked and climbed into bed with the intoxicated victim and began grinding his erect penis against his buttocks, the court heard.

The boy tried to break free but the assault continued, with O’Shea asking for oral sex before eventually releasing his distressed victim.

Another male woke at a gathering with O’Shea’s hand down his underpants fondling his penis and grinding his genitals into his buttocks, the court heard.

O’Shea’s victims were drawn from his associations at Beaconsfield Primary School, Dandenong Baseball Club and Berwick Baseball Club.

Teacher Shoana Carey speaks to media outside the County Court.

Judge Bayles denounced his conduct as “persistent, protracted and predatory in nature”.

“You abused various community positions and associations to engage in this offending behaviour,” Judge Bayles said.

“Many victims did not report (the offending) due to fear they would be ostracised or get in trouble. This is an insidious feature of offending of this kind.”

The court heard O’Shea is remorseful for his actions but remains at a moderate risk of reoffending.

His repressed homosexuality and alcohol abuse drove his sexual offending, the court heard.

O’Shea, who pleaded guilty to 13 charges, will be required to take part in a sexual offender rehabilitation program, perform 300 hours community service and will be subject to lifelong restrictions as a registered sex offender.

Originally published as Former Beaconsfield Primary School teacher Nicholas O’Shea avoids jail over sexual assault of boys