Benjamin Jay Stokes: More charges expected to be laid against Camden dance teacher

A former teacher at a prestigious Camden dance school has been charged with four counts of indecently assaulting three young students in his care. But a prosecutor has told a court more charges will be laid.

Prosecutors are expecting to lay more charges against a Camden dance teacher accused of allegedly indecently assaulting three male students, a court has heard.

Benjamin Jay Stokes, 36, has been charged with four counts of aggravated indecent assault of three males under his authority. He has pleaded not guilty to two of the charges but has not entered pleas to the remaining charges.

According to court documents, police allege the Harrington Park resident, who was a dance teacher at the time of the offences, indecently assaulted a young male dance student between the ages of nine and eleven on two occasions in the Mount Annan area.

In court on Friday, a representative for the Director of Public Prosecutions said the matters were not ready for charge certification.

“This is the matter where the officer in charge is unwell with Covid-19 and unable to lay additional charges,” he said.

The prosecutor asked for an adjournment for two weeks to further prepare for the charge certification with the additional charges to be laid. Mr Stokes did not appear at court.

Benjamin Jay Stokes is a former dance teacher and owner of Commotion School of Performing Arts in Smeaton Grange. He has been charged with four counts of indecently assaulting three young male students in his care between 2012 and 2014. Picture: Facebook

Court documents show that the prosecution allege Mr Stokes committed the first act of indecency on the child by kissing him and inserting his tongue into the alleged victim’s mouth between January and September 2012.

They state that the dance teacher also allegedly touched the same victim’s penis when he was sitting in Stokes’ lap.

After entering pleas of not guilty to assaulting the boy, Mr Stokes was arrested last year and charged with the aggravated indecent assault of two more 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.

Benjamin Jay Stokes is a former dance teacher and owner of Commotion School of Performing Arts in Smeaton Grange. He has been charged with four counts of indecently assaulting three young male students in his care between 2012 and 2014. Picture: Facebook

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.

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 also state 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.

They reveal he is now working in graphic design. 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.

The matter returns to Picton Local Court for committal on May 20.