Ben Stokes: Camden dance teacher faces fresh allegations

A former teacher at a prestigious Camden dance school has been charged with four counts of indecently assaulting three young students in his care.

A former teacher at a prestigious Camden dance school has been charged with four counts of indecently assaulting three young male students in his care.

Benjamin Jay Stokes, 35, is facing four counts of aggravated indecent assault of minors under his authority after two young victims came forward with new allegations.

In his court appearance in November last year, the Harrington Park resident denied two charges of sexually assaulting a young male dance student between the ages of nine and 11 in the Mount Annan area.

Benjamin Jay Stokes is accused of indecently assaulting three minors who were under his authority as a dance teacher. Generic image. Picture: Scott Powick

Police allege Mr Stokes committed an act of indecency on the child by kissing him and inserting his tongue into the alleged victim’s mouth between January and September 2012. According to police allegations, the 35-year-old dance teacher took advantage of the alleged victim while he sat in the older man’s lap by touching his penis.

On Wednesday, Picton court heard Mr Stokes was arrested on December 2 last year and charged with the aggravated indecent assault of another two young male students.

Police allege he rubbed his hand on the inner thigh of one young boy for approximately 20 minutes while the two watched television at 7pm on July 12, 2014.

Between July 1 and October 31 of the same year, police allege Mr Stokes rubbed his hand on the genitals of another young student over his clothing while he was in a position of authority over the minor.

According to documents tendered to the court, police have evidence of messages exchanged between Mr Stokes and one of the victims which implicates him in one of the assaults.

The documents show the former dance teacher was forced to close his dance school, Commotion Performing Arts, in Smeaton Grange after the allegations came to light.

Picton Court House. Picture: Adelaide Lang

The court heard Mr Stokes has lived in the Macarthur area for the past 18 years and has “strong community ties” which would preclude him from fleeing the area.

Magistrate Mark Douglass agreed the former dance teacher could be granted more lenient bail conditions if he agreed to pay a $20,000 surety to the court. Mr Stokes will now be required to report to police only once a week.

He will return to Picton court on March 2 to enter pleas to the two new allegations.