Trinity Grammar teacher Alexander Simpson avoids jail for sexting ‘schoolgirl’

A sexting schoolteacher who faced up to 15 years in prison will serve his sentence in the community under “special circumstances”.

Alexander Simpson leaving Burwood Court in a prison van at an earlier court appearance. PICTURE: Adam Yip

A Sydney teacher who faced up to 15 years in prison for sending vulgar messages to a ‘schoolgirl’ will serve his sentence in the community under “special circumstances”.

Former Trinity Grammar School teacher Alexander Simpson, 40, was sentenced by Judge Leonie Flannery in The District Court on Friday to a two-year prison sentence, to be served in the community.

Simpson faced a maximum 15 years behind bars after pleading guilty to using the internet to send indecent material to a person under 16 and soliciting child abuse material.

Alexander Simpson has been sentenced to a two-year prison sentence to be served in the community

But Judge Flannery accepted the father-of-two met the criteria of special circumstances, after he successfully argued he had to care for his disabled wife, who suffers from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

In August 2020, the Padstow Heights man started speaking with a 13-year-old girl called Anna, who was actually an identity created by an undercover cop, on chat room website Chatiw and Skype.

Simpson, who used the alias, ‘Sydney man’ sent disturbing messages - including a picture of his erect penis - and repeatedly requested the girl to send pictures of her breasts, the court heard.

Judge Flannery said offences of this nature were “very serious”.

“They exploit the vulnerability of youth and inappropriately sexualise young people before they are old enough to protect themselves,” she told the court.

She did accept if it was a real 13-year-old girl, it would have been more serious.

He received a 25 per cent reduction in his sentence because he pleaded guilty.

Simpson’s interest in speaking on chat rooms started when he was a teenager to deal with stress, the court heard.

He first sought help for his “addiction” from a church minister, when his wife found the secret online chats.

Simpson’s wife said in evidence he responded “extremely positively” to his arrest and had “reconnected with God”.

“Over the last year, she has noticed he is more patient, thoughtful, reflective and better at communicating his needs. He is happier than he has been in a long time and has a positive outlook on life,” Judge Flannery told the court.

When giving evidence, Simpson told the court he was “addicted to chatting online” and did not know what his intentions were.

“Once she was talking to me, I don’t know, I was trying to chat and be nice. Sure there are things in there that are inappropriate that I’m certainly not proud of and ashamed of. I can’t explain them,” he told the court.

On August 27, 2020, Simpson was arrested at Trinity Grammar by police and “paraded” in handcuffs to the police car, in front of parents and students.

He now works as a tradie.

FOR TIPS CONTACT CARLA HILDEBRANDT at [e-mail]