Teacher jailed for possession of child abuse material out on conditional bail had child porn on his computer

ALEX Gollan, who sent “sexual” messages to a nine-year-old past student and had child porn on his laptop, was jailed for eight months — before being let out on bail an hour later after lodging an appeal.

Alex Gollan was granted bail pending the result of his District Court matter. Picture: Ross Schultz

AN assistant principal of a Sydney school who sent “sexual” messages to a nine-year-old past student and had child porn on his laptop was jailed for eight months.

However Alex Gollan, 32, was let out on bail within an hour after his legal team appealed the severity of the decision today.

Over three months, the former Homebush Public School teacher used Facebook to chat with the girl — who was a past student of his at another school — calling her “cutie” and “beautiful”.

He even requested photographs of her feet, facts tendered to court show.

In one message, Gollan sent his victim photos of children’s bums painted to look like pumpkins.

“Looks like those pumpkins have cuter bums than you,” he wrote to her.

Alex Gollan was granted bail after lodging an appeal after he was jailed.

He also tried to arrange to meet with her at a swimming pool and the movies.

When the nine-year-old’s mother saw her daughter’s chat log she alerted police, who arrested him.

Gollan then told officers in an interview he was just trying to be “funny”.

But a subsequent search of his laptop also uncovered four videos of child pornography.

They included preadolescent girls engaged in sexualised behaviour and two boys who took part in a brief sex act, the court heard.

Magistrate Alexander Mijovich rejected any suggestion Gollan’s conversations with the girl could be seen as “humorous” or “funny”.

He described Gollan’s actions as a “clear abuse of trust” and said it was “irrelevant” she was no longer his student.

“Suggestions of meetings ... were not funny or appropriate in any sense of the word,” he said.

Homebush Public School, where Gollan used to work as a teacher. Picture: Google Maps

After being charged last year Gollan, an online blogger and activist, told The Daily Telegraph he was the victim of a right-wing conspiracy, adding inappropriate material found on his hard drive was sent to him by his enemies.

“There is still no recognition by the accused that he has any issues or has any issues to be dealt with,” Mr Mijovich said, before sentencing him to eight months behind bars.

He took into account his guilty pleas to the charges of sending indecent material to a minor and possession of child abuse material.

However Gollan’s legal team immediately appealed the decision and he was granted bail — with a list of restrictions — pending the result of the District Court matter.

Outside court Gollan refused to speak — but his mother proclaimed he was “innocent”.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong; it’s people out to get him,” she told reporters.

Gollan has previously written a 70-page blog post which says “Neo Nazis and white supremacists” have framed him because of his anti-discrimination work.

The Education Department has confirmed Gollan is no longer employed by them.

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