High school IT teacher charged with student sex offences
A Victorian public high school IT teacher has been charged with sexual offences that spanned three years against a student under the age of 16.
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A public high school teacher has been charged with sexual offences that spanned three years against a student under the age of 16.
Kurnai College teacher Steven Grant Dockley, 36, has been charged with grooming for sexual conduct with a child under 16.
The Traralgon man is accused of committing the alleged offences over a three-year period.
As there is no criminal offence for grooming a child over the age of 16, it is possible the duration of the alleged matter was even longer.
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The Herald Sun understands the IT teacher was arrested when detectives from the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team visited the school, in Morwell, on Monday morning.
Kurnai College principal Anthony Rodaughan said the school was “very concerned to learn of these allegations”.
“For legal reasons, the school cannot comment further on this matter,” he said.
“We have offered counselling and wellbeing support for the student and their family and will continue to offer support for as long as is needed.”
A Department of Education spokesman said “predatory behaviour has no place in Victorian schools”.
Dockley was bailed to appear at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court for a mention on May 31.
He has been served an interim suspension from the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), which came into effect on Thursday.
It’s the second time in just over six months that the alleged offence of grooming a student by a Victorian teacher has come under the spotlight.
Last year, police were hampered from laying criminal charges against public high school teacher Shane Osmond.
The 55-year-old bombarded his student with 1650 Facebook messages, many of a sexually explicit nature, gifted him a “soulmate necklace” and developed “romantic feelings” for him.
But because the child was over the age of 16, no criminal charges were laid.
Under Victorian law, no offences exists for grooming a child over the age of 16, even if by a person in a position of power over them, such as a teacher.
However, teachers are able to be charged with having sexual relations with a student aged 16 or 17 who is under their care, supervision or authority.
A VIT panel found he was no longer fit to teach over the matter and his registration was cancelled.
But the government was unmoved by the case.
When asked in November whether the law for grooming a child should be amended, a spokeswoman said the government had “already taken steps to strengthen Victoria’s sexual offence laws”.
Former Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies called the oversight “a clear gap in the legislation that leaves children vulnerable”.