Ex-school teacher jailed for six years for child sex offences

A former teacher from a private school south of Brisbane has pleaded guilty to a range of child sex offences, including making exploitative videos at the school.

A former teacher was jailed for six years last week.

A TEACHER from a private college south of Brisbane has been jailed for six years after pleading guilty to a range of child sex offences including making exploitative videos.

Leigh Herman Moir, 28, a teacher who was sacked from the school, was sentenced after being found guilty of 55 charges including two for making and possessing child exploitation material.

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Beenleigh District Court heard Moir had used a student to take his mobile phone into the girls’ change rooms at the school to film.

Leigh Herman Moir, 28, was sentenced after being found guilty of 55 charges including two for making and possessing child exploitation material.

He committed the crimes at the school, at his home and at the church he attended at Birkdale over a seven-year period from when he was aged 19 and the victims were as young as six.

The court heard he had accessed child pornography and had inappropriately touched young girls on the breasts and buttocks.

Judge Craig Chowdhury sentenced Moir to six years’ jail for maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child and two years’ jail for 48 charges of indecent treatment of children, some under the age of 12.

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Moir will be eligible to apply for parole in 15 months after Justice Chowdhury ruled all sentences would be served concurrently.

Parents of one of the child victims said they were astounded at the extent of the crimes.

“When we heard the crimes read out in court, it was horrifying and sickening and we have lodged an appeal against the leniency of the sentencing and non-parole period.”

The college said victims and their parents had been offered counselling and were contacted as soon as the school was aware of allegations.

“Parents were informed that the teacher was no longer at the school and that the concerns were of a serious nature and needed to be referred immediately to the Queensland Police Service and then to other appropriate government agencies,” the school said.

“Parents were invited to raise issues either with us or directly with the Queensland Police Service.

“Counselling support is always available to students. With respect to the issues surrounding Mr Moir, we provided support to our students, however, the police required specific counselling related to the matter to be conducted by their counselling services, as any other process had the potential to compromise the prospects for a successful prosecution.

“We seek to have maximum visibility in our classrooms and students are also made aware of actions to take and people they can speak to with any concerns.”

The college said the school had ongoing staff training around mandatory reporting of inappropriate behaviour and illegal activities and had clear processes around interacting with students.