Ex Ambarvale High School teacher David Macpherson fronts court for sentencing

A former southwest Sydney teacher who sent sexually-explicit content online is facing sentencing for child abuse material charges. Read what happened in court.

A former Ambarvale High School casual teacher who sent sexually explicit messages to an investigator posing as a 14-year-old girl will wait to hear his fate.

David John Macpherson fronted Campbelltown District Court on Monday for a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to six charges that he committed between May and September 2020.

The 62-year-old admitted to using a carriage service to groom under 16 years for sex, two counts of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material, using a carriage service to transmit/publish/promote child abuse, using a carriage service to send indecent material to person under 16 and possess child abuse material with intent to breach.

The Woodbine resident was working as a casual teacher at Ambarvale High after retiring as the school’s deputy principal, when Strike Force Trawler investigators arrested him at work in September 2020.

David Macpherson was arrested in September 2020.

Court documents reveal when he was arrested, his phone was open and unlocked showing a picture of an underage female in underwear.

In September 2020, a police officer from the Child Exploitation Internet Unit assumed the online identity of “AOI”, a 14-year-old girl.

Macpherson sent messages to AOI asking if she sexually touched herself.

“I just dont want u to think I am a stupid or silly 14 year old,” AOI wrote.

“I absolutely won’t … I‘d love to teach you if you’re interested AOI,” the offender replied.

Macpherson then proceeded over an hour to give detailed and explicit instructions on how to masturbate.

On September 8, he encouraged AOI to take and send a topless picture, saying “maybe in front of your mirror is probably the easiest way”.

Court documents showed Macpherson spoke with two more people who he believed to be underage girls when he sent explicit messages, and sent one pornographic videos and pictures of his genitalia.

One of these turned out to be a 36-year-old man. Investigators do not have an identity on the second person.

They also revealed Macpherson had written a story that describes in vivid detail two people under the age of 18 engaged in sexual activity, which he sent to three people.

During the sentencing hearing on Monday, Macpherson was called to the stand where he told the court he had been working as a teacher since 1981.

David Macpherson will be sentenced at Campbelltown District Court.

His lawyer, Sharon Ramsden, asked him if he had thought about his offending while in custody.

“I think about what I did every day since I was arrested and if I could go back in time and change what I did, I would do so,” Macpherson said.

“I regret my actions on all those occasions … I regret the harm and distress to the people who I was chatting with, to my family, to my friends, to my colleagues and the community I have served for the last 40 years.”

Macpherson told the court he knew that he needed treatment and was “absolutely” willing to follow through with it.

“(I) am more than prepared to do whatever I need to do,” he said.

During evidence, Macpherson told the court he had been sexually assaulted five or six times when he was 12 years old.

He also spoke of multiple surgeries that he needed during his life, including one after he perforated his bowel.

When cross-examined by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions Federal Prosecutor Sarah Short, Macpherson was asked if he ever had to take disciplinary action against colleagues.

He said he had during his various roles.

“There was a teacher who was consistently at work intoxicated, there was another member of staff who had used verbal abuse towards a student,” Macpherson said.

“There was another member of staff who had been accused of touching a student inappropriately.”

Ms Short asked Macpherson if he agreed that he was aware that sexual touching or interaction could cause harm to children.

“I was,” Macpherson said.

“But you continued to engage in the behaviour that has led you before court today,” Ms Short asked.

“I did,” Macpherson replied.

Ms Ramsden, told the court the offences he had pleaded guilty to ranged from the lower end of the scale to mid-range in objective seriousness.

The matter has been adjourned to March 18, when it is expected the CDPP prosecutor will make their submissions and the judge will deliver a sentence.

Macpherson, who has not applied for bail, remains in custody.

If reading this article has impacted you in any way, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800 737 732.