A Sydney high school teacher has been charged with grooming a teenage girl and possessing child abuse material.
Nathanial Ballesta, 35, an English teacher at John Edmondson High School in Horningsea Park in the city’s southwest, was arrested at a home in Bardia at 6am on Thursday.
Detectives from the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad seized electronic devices allegedly containing child abuse material and online communications with a teenage girl spanning from 2021 to 2025, police said.
A high school teacher, 35, has been charged with grooming a girl and possessing child abuse material in Sydney.
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Ballesta was taken to Campbelltown Police Station and charged with charged with three counts of “possess child abuse material”, two counts of “use carriage service – procure <16 sexual activity”, three counts of “cause child 14 & over to make child abuse material”, “use carriage service – engage in sexual activity with child” and “possess child abuse data-use carriage service”.
The teacher, who is a Year 10 assistant advisor, did not apply for bail in Campbelltown Local Court while appearing via audiovisual link on Friday, but his solicitor indicated a bail application would be made at a later date, The Daily Telegraph reported.
A spokesperson from the NSW Department of Education said Ballesta had been stood down while investigations were ongoing, and barred from working in public schools.
Header image: Left, Nathanial Ballesta. Right, Ballesta being arrested (NSW Police).
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