Ex-teacher Nicholas O’Shea accused of sexually abusing children and supplying drugs
Former Beaconsfield Primary School teacher Nicholas O’Shea has been accused of sexually abusing children, as well as supplying minors with drugs and alcohol.
Police & Courts
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A Melbourne primary school teacher is accused of sexually touching children, supplying them with drugs and alcohol and soliciting explicit child abuse material.
For the first time, it can be revealed former Beaconsfield Primary School teacher Nicholas O’Shea, 30, is accused of serious sexual offending against children spanning more than a decade.
Charge sheets released to the Herald Sun allege his crimes began in 2012, continuing until his arrest in 2023 when he was the school’s longstanding year 6 teacher.
O’Shea, from Pakenham, faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with 29 offences, including multiple counts of intentionally sexually touching children.
The offences allegedly occurred in Edithvale and Narre Warren North in 2013 and 2018.
Police also charged the former teacher with two counts of assault in indecent circumstances in Pakenham and Narre Warren between 2013 and 2016 and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under the age of 16 as recently as August last year.
O’Shea is also accused of using a carriage service to send private sexual material on multiple occasions, in addition to soliciting child abuse material and communicating with children to “commission” sexual offences.
Police allege he also supplied a drug of dependence and liquor to minors as far back as 2012.
It’s understood nine complainants are involved in the criminal case against O’Shea, including young boys.
The bombshell comes as the former primary school teacher’s lawyer on Friday attempted to conceal details of his alleged offending from the public.
Asked by magistrate Peter Reardon if there were any objections to charge sheets being released to the media, O’Shea’s lawyer argued some were “in dispute” and should not be made public.
“Some charges are in dispute … and could be misleading or prejudicial if released in their current form,” the lawyer argued.
Magistrate Reardon rejected the submission, saying: “In my view there is little merit in that application and the charges will be released”.
The release of charge sheets is a standard process in criminal proceedings.
O’Shea cowered from media as he exited the court building, turning his head to avoid cameras.
He was supported in court by two people believed to be his parents.
O’Shea was suspended on an interim basis by the Victoria Institute of Teaching after being charged by police.
He worked at Beaconsfield Primary School since 2016.
O’Shea will reappear in court on April 12.
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