Warrandyte Primary School teacher and lifeguard Davide Colombo charged over sexual assault

A 26-year-old Warrandyte Primary School teacher and lifeguard has been stood down after being charged with sexual assault.

Davide Colombo, 26, has been suspended from teaching after being charged with an alleged sexual assault. Picture: Facebook

A Victorian primary school teacher and decorated lifeguard has been stood down after being charged with serious sexual offences.

The Herald Sun can reveal Davide Colombo, 26, who taught at Warrandyte Primary School last year, has had his right to teach temporarily revoked.

The Victorian Institute of Teaching suspended Mr Colombo on an interim basis on March 2 after he was charged by Box Hill Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation with an alleged sexual assault in Clayton.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the alleged offence involving a female victim occurred in November, 2016.

“A 26-year-old Ringwood North man was charged with one count of rape,” the spokeswoman said.

The Herald Sun has been told his charges do not relate to children or students or conduct as an employee of the Education Department.

Mr Colombo’s former principal at Warrandyte Primary, Nieta Manser, welcomed Mr Colombo to the school ahead of his appointment at the start of 2022.

“Davide is looking forward to working in our school and specifically applied for WPS as he wanted to work in a school that had a thriving school community and was passionate about their students wellbeing and learning,” Ms Manser wrote.

Mr Colombo also previously taught at Toorloo Arm Primary School in Gippsland in 2021, with the school’s principal welcoming him in a newsletter.

“We also welcomed three new staff members Miss Amber Castleman, Mrs Jaclyn Costigan and Mr Davide Colombo to our teaching team,” principal Kerry Hughes, said.

Mr Colombo is also a decorated lifesaver, awarded in 2021 by Life Saving Victoria for special contribution to volunteer training.

He is a member of the Lakes Entrance and Mentone Surf Life Saving Clubs and in 2022 helped train Mildura lifesavers.

He also previously taught swimming at Monash University.

In 2021-22 – the latest figures available – the Victorian Institute of Teaching resolved more than 3700 reassessments of disclosable court outcomes.

It also refused the registration of 37 applicants who had serious conduct matters.

The VIT also suspended the registration of 20 teachers on an interim basis who posed an “unacceptable risk of harm to children”.

Mr Colombo will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on April 14.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said: “As this matter is before the courts, we are unable to comment.”

A spokesperson from Life Saving Victoria said a member “was under investigation for an alleged offence:

“LSV takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and the individual was immediately suspended from all lifesaving activities and membership in line with LSV’s policies, pending the outcomes of the investigation,” the spokesperson said.