A former Newington College teacher has been charged with the alleged rape of a student and four counts of aggravated sexual touching, after police accused her of grooming the young person using an electronic device.
Deandra Kontou, 32, faces nine sex offences following an investigation by the Inner West Police Area Command into allegations that she sexually assaulted and groomed a student in her care.
Police believe the alleged victim was under 16 at the time of the incident. The charges include aggravated sexual assault, which is equivalent to rape under New South Wales law, as well as inciting a person to take part in an aggravated sexual act.
Kontou is also accused of sexually touching another person, inciting another person to sexually touch her and inciting another person to have sex with her.
She worked at Newington College for two years before leaving the school in 2019. The school has about 2,000 pupils across its Stanmore and Lindfield campuses.
A Newington spokesperson confirmed Kontou’s former employment and said: “Newington College 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 added.
Kontou appeared at Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday and was granted conditional bail, allowing her to return to her home in Sydney’s southern suburbs.
Her bail conditions prohibit her from entering any school or taking teaching work involving contact with children. She must not contact the alleged victim or prosecution witnesses, and cannot be in the company of a child without another adult present.
She must report weekly to Sutherland Police Station, surrender her passport and avoid entering an international point of departure from Australia. She is due to appear at Burwood Local Court on November 25.
