Benjamin Jay Stokes: Camden dance teacher charged with new offences relating to fourth alleged victim

A Camden dance teacher who allegedly stroked a 12-year-old student’s thigh while calling the boy “cute and handsome” has been hit with more charges.

A fourth alleged victim has come forward leading to new charges being laid against a former Camden dance teacher.

Benjamin Jay Stokes has now been charged with grooming a child under 14 years for unlawful sexual activity, inciting aggravated indecency and indecently assaulting a person under 16 years.

According to court documents, the new charges relate to a fourth alleged victim who was also a student of the dance teacher.

Prosecutors allege that in 2013, Mr Stokes sent a 12-year-old student videos of himself naked and masturbating to make it easier to procure the young boy for unlawful sexual activity.

They further allege that he asked the young boy to send him pictures of his penis and masturbation videos. Prosecutors also claim that Mr Stokes stroked the same student’s thigh while calling him “cute and handsome”.

Benjamin Jay Stokes is a former dance teacher and owner of Commotion School of Performing Arts in Smeaton Grange. Picture: Annie Lewis

According to court documents, police have witness statements and some electronic evidence to substantiate their allegations.

“The offences are of a very serious nature involving the sexual exploitation of children,” the documents said.

At Picton Local Court on Wednesday, Mr Stokes’ lawyer said the charges would be committed to the Campbelltown District Court where he would be arraigned on this and two other matters for trial.

However Mr Stokes was not present at court so the matter has been adjourned to Thursday, when the case will be committed.

Mr Stokes will appear at Campbelltown District Court on September 15 where he will formally enter pleas to all the charges that have been laid against him.

He is also charged with four counts of indecent assault of person under 16 years, two counts of grooming a child under 14 for unlawful sexual activity and one count of incite aggravated indecency of victim under 16.

Benjamin Jay Stokes.

Prosecutors charged him earlier this year with the seven new offences including four counts of indecent assault of person under 16 years, two counts of grooming a child under 14 for unlawful sexual activity and one count of incite aggravated indecency of victim under 16.

The DPP will allege that between in 2012, Mr Stokes committed an act of indecency against a 10-year-old student by kissing him and putting his tongue inside.

They will further allege in that same time period, he touched the 10-year-old on his penis while the child was seated in his lap.

According to court documents it will also be alleged that in 2014, Mr Stokes rubbed his hand on the inner thigh of a second dance student while the 14-year-old was seated on his lap.

Four of the charges relate to a third alleged victim who was also a student of Mr Stokes at the dance school.

Benjamin Jay Stokes. Picture: Annie Lewis

Court documents show that prosecutors will allege that in 2014, Mr Stokes rubbed one of his hands on the 13-year-old student’s genitalia at Smeaton Grange.

They will further allege that Mr Stokes groomed the child for unlawful sexual activity by sending him a picture of a penis and of himself masturbating.

The documents state that it is also alleged Mr Stokes asked the child to send him a picture of the child’s penis.

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

Under his current bail conditions, Mr Stokes is prohibited from having any contact with children or spending time in a house where a child would be present.