Nick Warby: Knox Grammar teacher and surf lifesaver jailed over child porn stash
In the week he was the loveable teacher at one of Sydney’s most exclusive schools. At the weekends he was a mentor to kids at multiple surf clubs. But after hours, Nick Warby got “obliterated on ice”, collected thousands of child abuse images and had a series of unprintable disturbing fantasies.
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The former teacher at an exclusive Sydney school who likened the rush of looking at child abuse material to taking a hit of ice has been jailed after admitting to hiding a sickening stash of the material.
Disgraced Knox Grammar former head of aquatic sports Nick Warby, 31, was facing a maximum 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography but has been jailed for two years and four months after close friends told of his good character and his return to the church.
Judge Gina O’Rourke ordered he spend at least 14 months in jail before being eligible for parole at the Downing Centre District Court on Friday.
Warby and his parents wept as he was taken away in handcuffs to the cells for processing.
The perverse nature of Warby’s sexual fantasies were some of the more morbid details of his case aired in court, but the specifics are too disturbing to publish.
As are most of the graphic details surrounding the contents of the child abuse material he had on five devices.
The court heard they involved images of children being sexually abused and crying in horrific circumstances and how Warby’s sick fantasies involved exhibitionism, voyeurism and role playing as a child.
According to court documents read out on Wednesday, Warby said he “lit up” like the first time he drank or did ice when initially shown child pornography.
He claimed to have got some of the thousands of images from a man called “Jay” he met on Grindr last year.
However, the court heard some of the images and videos came from Warby trawling chatrooms where other perverts online would share Dropbox links containing the sickening content.
Warby’s cache of child abuse material was only uncovered by chance in August 2019 when he left his phone at the pool to change clothes for a Knox Grammar promotional video.
A colleague who scrolled through the phone attempting to figure out who owned it stumbled onto the graphic images, which were then reported to police.
Child abuse detectives would go on to find 3400 images and videos on five devices of Warby’s.
Warby’s defence barrister Edward Anderson submitted the former head of aquatics at the prestigious Knox had rebaptised himself and engaged in discipleship programs in the Catholic Church since his arrest.
The court had also heard he has now resorted to volunteering at the Mona Vale cemetery.
Giving evidence on Wednesday, his mother Belinda Warby said she was shocked to see her son and family splashed across newspapers last year.
She said she had “no idea” about the dark secret her son was hiding.
Prior to his arrest Warby’s family and friends may well have thought him a model citizen.
He had volunteered at multiple surf clubs on the northern beaches.
He was known as the ‘fun’ patrol leader at Queenscliff, where he helped children gain their Bronze Awards.
Other clubs he had previously been involved with included North Steyne and Long Reef and he had been a member of Manly and Palm Beach when he was arrested last year. His membership was immediately suspended.
One parent of a child at Queenscliff Surf Lifesaving Club said Warby was very friendly and well-liked by the kids he was mentoring.
“It is terrifying to think that someone like him was in a trusted position in a number of surf clubs,” he said.
“He seemed like an OK guy, but it is shocking what has come out in court. Thank God he was found out.”
Surf Life Saving NSW today confirmed Warby’s membership had been terminated from all levels of the organisation following his conviction and sentencing of serious criminal offences.
“The safety of our members and in particular children and young people is paramount and the organisation acts immediately in instances such as this to suspend or terminate the membership of those charged with or convicted of serious offences,” a spokesman said.
Judge O’Rourke acknowledged Warby was remorseful for his actions but highlighted that he had a phone loaded with child porn at work surrounded by young boys.
“I’ve done wrong … I’m ashamed and I’m going to cop the punishment,” Warby said to officers, the agreed facts state.
Warby will first be eligible for parole in January 2022.
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