Bendigo teacher Bryan Russell Keely charged at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court with raping child

A Bendigo teacher charged with grooming and raping a 15-year-old girl allegedly used his mum’s iPad to groom the teen again.

Bryan Russell Keely was charged at Bendigo Magistrates' Court with sexual abuse of a child. Picture: Contributed.

A Bendigo teacher charged with grooming and raping a 15-year-old girl allegedly went back and groomed her again with his mum’s iPad while on bail.

Now the state is coming for the $100,000 his mum fronted to get her son out on bail.

Bryan Russell Keely, 35, faced Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged a raft of offences including the sexual penetration of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child, and the possession of child abuse material.

The Spring Gully man was arrested at a Bendigo school on August 28 last year after a teenage girl told police she had been in a “sexual relationship” with Mr Keely for a number of months.

He was released on bail the next day and ordered to not go within 20m of the teenager or contact children using social media.

Police allege the suspended teacher used his mother’s iPad to groom the same child on Snapchat and possessed child abuse material of her while on bail in September and October 2023.

Court documents reveal Keely allegedly told a 15-year-old girl it was his “dream” to live with her and watch their children run around, while he was on bail for allegedly sexually assaulting the same teenager.

Keely allegedly messaged the teenager – who he referred to as his “girlfriend” – again, using his mother’s iPad.

Bryan Russell Keely was charged at Bendigo Magistrates' Court with sexual abuse of a child. Picture: Contributed.

“I love you baby so much it hurts me wishing you a (sic) amazing sleep and dreams of us living together in our own home with our kids running around laughing. Your (sic) my beautiful angel love u from the deepest part of my heart xx,” the accused allegedly wrote.

The court heard Keely had negotiated a plea deal to about half-a-dozen charges relating to the illegal “sexual relationship” with the teen, while negotiations were ongoing around the grooming charges while he was on bail.

His parents and brother who normally attended to support him were absent from court on Wednesday, with Keely appearing from custody via video link sitting alone, wearing his prison greens.

The court heard the state was moving to forfeit his bail surety following the alleged offending while he was on bail.

The court heard Keely’s mother, Jo-Anne Trudie Rusell, had brought lawyers to bear to try and stop the state from taking the $100,000 she put up to get her son out of custody.

Magistrate Megan Aumair adjourned his criminal matters to May 15 with a “hope that both matters will be resolved on that date”.

Keely’s mother’s fight over the bail money was adjourned to September.