Richard Ho appears in court over child sex offence charges
A former elite private school teacher was banned from approaching college campuses and students when he was investigated for child sex offences he later admitted to.
South East
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A teacher at a prestigious private school who was later banned from approaching any of the college’s campuses or students after he was busted for possessing child abuse material has been told “don’t book holidays” by a judge.
Former Haileybury college student and teacher Richard Skalova Ho, 29, pleaded guilty in the County Court on Thursday to one charge of possessing child abuse material and two of transmitting child abuse material.
The offences happened between March 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020 in Springvale South and other places.
The guilty pleas came five weeks before he was scheduled to go on trial. Details of his offending will be aired during his plea hearing on July 30.
Detectives from the Greater Dandenong Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team initially slapped him with four charges after raiding Ho’s Springvale residence.
Those charges included knowingly possess child abuse material, using a carriage service to harass, and two counts of encouraging a child under 16 to engage in, or be involved in, sexual activity.
Ho was an old scholar of Haileybury, before returning to teach there after studying at Monash University.
The court heard that psychological reports were being prepared while Ho was receiving ongoing counselling.
Ho told the court he was presently working in recruitment. Judge Paul Higham extended his bail with conditions, including that Ho not travel outside Victoria and not to access the internet except for legitimate purposes such as banking.
“Don’t book holidays,” Judge Higham said.
In a letter to parents in 2022, Haileybury’s vice principal Scott Doran said the charges were not related to Ho’s teaching role at the school.
He said the school had stood him down from all duties in March 2022 after learning he was facing a police investigation.
He was then dismissed once the charges were laid in August of that year.
“Mr Ho has been prohibited from attending any school property of Haileybury or having any contact with students at any Haileybury campus, either in person or online,” the letter said.
“We understand that this news is distressing and many of you may have questions.
“We would like to reassure the Haileybury community that we take this matter with the utmost seriousness.
“Haileybury is unequivocally committed to zero tolerance of child abuse and enforces a strict child safety policy. Nothing is more important to us than the welfare of our students, past and present.”
The Victorian Institute of Teaching suspended Mr Ho’s teaching registration in September 2022.
