Benjamin Hill and Tristan Cullinan-Smayle front court on sex crimes
A pedophile music teacher who worked on the Priscilla Queen of the Desert production filmed himself sexually violating children while his fiance fantasised about kids being raped.
South East
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Jail terms for a Melbourne music teacher who filmed himself sexually violating children and his fiance who fantasised about the victims being raped have been reduced on appeal.
Benjamin Heels and Tristan Cullinan-Smayle hunted victims through the “theatre world” who were private students while the depraved couple also ripped photos of the children from social media.
Heels, a former Fountain Gate Secondary College music teacher who worked on a production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, also sent images of several students to Cullinan-Smayle.
The vile pair had “child abuse material” discussions about the images and “made specific references” to some students.
Heels sexually assaulted two students – including an eight-year-old – during separate and private singing and piano lessons.
He was sentenced in the County Court on March 31, 2023 to 11 years’ jail with a minimum non-parole of seven years and three months’ imprisonment.
Cullinan-Smayle, a chef, copped 10 years’ imprisonment with a minimum non-parole of six years and seven months.
Both argued in the Supreme Court that their sentences were manifestly excessive and that they received different sentences for similar offending.
Heels’ sentence was reduced on appeal to a total term of eight years with a minimum non-parole of five years and six months.
Cullinan-Smayle was re-sentenced to nine years and ordered to serve a minimum non-parole of six years.
Both enjoyed posting their dress-up photos on social media. In some photos, Heels dressed himself up as a blood-spattered clown and showed off his Harry Potter onesie.
