Camden teacher Benjamin Stokes case delayed for fourth alleged victim
A Camden dance teacher who faces 10 charges including grooming a student will have to wait longer for his day in court. Find out why the case is delayed.
Macarthur
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The court case of a Camden teacher accused of grooming has again been delayed as prosecutors attempt to “fast-track” the charges relating to a fourth alleged victim.
Benjamin Jay Stokes, 36, was expected to be arraigned at Campbelltown District Court on Thursday, but a representative for the Director of Public Prosecutions said the matter could not go ahead.
In October, Stokes was charged with grooming a child under 14 years for unlawful sexual activity, inciting aggravated indecency and indecently assaulting a person under 16 years.
Court documents say the new charges relate to a fourth alleged victim who was also a student of the dance teacher.
Prosecutors allege in 2013, 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.
The prosecutor told the court on Wednesday the latest charges were still at Picton Local Court and would be “fast-tracked” so Stokes could be arraigned on all the matters together.
Prosecutors had already charged Stokes earlier this year with seven offences including four counts of indecent assault of a person under 16 years, two counts of grooming a child under 14 for unlawful sexual activity and one count of inciting aggravated indecency of victim under 16.
The DPP will allege Stokes committed an act of indecency in 2012 against a 10-year-old student by kissing him and putting his tongue inside the child’s mouth.
They will further allege in that same year, he touched the 10-year-old on his penis while the child was seated in his lap.
Court documents allege Stokes rubbed his hand on the inner thigh of a second dance student while the 14-year-old was seated on his lap in 2014.
Four of the charges relate to a third alleged victim who was also a student of Mr Stokes at the dance school.
Court documents show prosecutors will allege Stokes rubbed one of his hands on the 13-year-old student’s genitalia at Smeaton Grange in 2014.
They will further allege Stokes groomed the child for unlawful sexual activity by sending him a picture of a penis and of himself masturbating.
Court documents state it is also alleged Stokes asked the child to send him a picture of the child’s penis.
Stokes remains on bail, and the matter returns to Campbelltown District Court on November 24.
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