Former teacher at prestigious Sydney school charged after allegedly sexually assaulting, grooming student
A former teacher at a prestigious Sydney private school has been charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a student.
Deandra Kontou, 32, was charged with nine sex offences after police recommenced an investigation into reports that a teacher had allegedly sexually assaulted and groomed a student at a school in Sydney’s Inner West.
Deandra Kontou worked at the school between 2017 and 2019. Kate Geraghy
Kontou was employed as a teacher at Newington College in 2017 and is understood to have left the school in 2019.
In a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald, a spokesperson for Newington College said the school "does not tolerate conduct by individual teachers that is in conflict with our professional standards or the law".
“As this matter is before the courts, we are not able to provide any further comment at this time,” the spokesperson said.
Kontou was arrested in Sutherland and taken to Sutherland Police Station, where she was charged with offences including aggravated sexual assault of a victim under authority of the offender, three counts of aggravated sexually touching another person, and using a carriage service to groom a person under 16 years old for sex with someone else.
Under NSW law, aggravated sexual assault is an offence equivalent to rape.
Kontou appeared before Sutherland Local Court last Wednesday, where she was granted conditional bail.
Court documents seen by nine.com.au show Kontou has been ordered to hand in her passport, report to Sutherland Police Station once a day, and must not enter the grounds of any school or partake in any teaching activities that require contact with children.
She is also not allowed to be in the company of a child unless with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult.
Kontou is set to appear at Burwood Local Court on November 26.
Kontou is the second teacher connected to Newington College to be recently charged with alleged sex offences.
In May, Benjamin David Collinge, who was employed as a part-time music teacher at the school, was charged with allegedly grooming a 14-year-old female student online.
The college confirmed his employment was as a casual teacher and that it had been terminated after the charges had been laid.
Police clarified that no student at Newington College was involved in the allegations against Collinge.
Fees to attend Year 12 at the Stanmore school are more than $48,000 per year.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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