Bradley William Flavel, 31, Rochedale State High School dance teacher preys on minor

A high school dance teacher who preyed on a 15-year-old girl, plying her with alcohol then having sex with her, has been sentenced.

Former high school dance teacher Bradley William Flavel faced court for abusing a girl. PHOTO: Rochedale State High School.

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A high school dance teacher who preyed on a 15-year-old girl, plying her with alcohol then having sex with her, has faced court.

Bradley William Flavel, 31, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on Friday, June 16 to two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of carnal knowledge of a child under 16.

The court heard Flavel was working as a volunteer dance teacher at Rochedale State High School in 2013.

In October of that year, Flavel began messaging a 15-year-old girl on Facebook, initially talking about his dance class, until he asked her to hang out.

She agreed and went along for a drive with him and a friend of hers, where he gave her alcohol and encouraged her to drink it.

The court heard Flavel, 21 at the time, sexually abused the girl in his car at a forest in Daisy Hill and later in his home, while her friend waited in the car.

Another time on an unknown date between October and December, 2013, Flavel had sex with the victim in his car in an industrial area in Yatala, Gold Coast.

The victim came forward to Police in 2020.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said the offending was aggravated because of the supply of alcohol.

In a victim impact statement tendered to the court, the victim said the abuse had a negative effect on her self worth.

The court heard Flavel was an active volleyball player, had an excellent work history and had not offended since 2013.

He also had no criminal history prior to the abuse in 2013.

Judge Rowan Jackson said there were exceptional circumstances where a term of actual imprisonment was not necessary.

“The fact you gave her alcohol is an aggravating feature but you appear to have grown a lot in maturity,” he said.

“I need to provide a sentence that is just in all the circumstances and make it clear the community denounces this sort of behaviour.”

Flavel was sentenced to 18 months prison, wholly suspended for two years.

Outside the courtroom, the victim said she was comfortable with the Judges’ decision.

“What happened is sad but I don’t want him to go to prison,” she said.

“People are sexually assaulted every day, he wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last; but I don’t want his life to be ruined. Then I have to deal with the guilt of somebody going to prison.

“It won’t change anything, I just wanted it to be over.”

Originally published as Bradley William Flavel, 31, Rochedale State High School dance teacher preys on minor