Quick Read
- Benjamin Collinge, a Newington College teacher, charged with grooming a 14-year-old girl.
- He allegedly posed as a 17-year-old boy online to pressure the girl for explicit material.
- Police found child abuse material on Collinge’s electronic devices after his arrest.
- Newington College terminated Collinge’s employment and confirmed no students involved.
- Collinge was refused bail and is due back in court on April 2.
SYDNEY (Azat TV) – Benjamin David Collinge, a casual music teacher at Newington College, was arrested and charged with grooming a 14-year-old girl online and possessing child abuse material. The 29-year-old was taken into custody at his home in Beecroft, Sydney, on March 25, 2026. Police allege he posed as a 17-year-old boy on social media to pressure the girl, who was not known to him, into sending sexually explicit images in exchange for money.
Details of the grooming charges against Newington College teacher
According to Detective Acting Superintendent Karl Leis of the NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad, Collinge initiated contact with the vulnerable 14-year-old via a social media app last week. The investigation revealed multiple messages where Collinge allegedly pressured the girl into providing explicit material. Police found child abuse material during a search of his residence. Collinge did not apply for bail at Burwood Local Court and remains in custody until his next hearing on April 2.
Newington College responds to teacher’s arrest
Newington College headmaster Michael Parker informed the school community that Collinge’s employment was terminated immediately following his arrest. Parker emphasized that no current or recent students of Newington are implicated in the case. Collinge had worked in various casual music teaching roles at the senior Wyvern House and Lindfield campuses since 2015 and is also a former alumnus of the school, graduating in 2014.
Implications for student safety and community trust at Newington College
The allegations have raised concerns about student safety and the reputation of one of Sydney’s most prestigious private schools, which is in the process of transitioning to a fully coeducational institution by 2033. Police have urged parents to monitor their children’s online activity closely and encouraged anyone with information on further victims to come forward. Detective Leis stressed the importance of vigilance as these offenses often occur in private homes, making detection challenging.
This case highlights the ongoing risks associated with online grooming, even within respected educational institutions, underscoring the critical need for robust safeguarding policies and vigilant community awareness to protect vulnerable youth.