‘Images were in the highest range of seriousness’: Swimming teacher, 30, at top Sydney private school ‘caught with four mobile phones and six USB sticks with child abuse material’ is given bail
- A male teacher, 30, has been charged with possessing child abuse on his phone
- Nick Warby was arrested on the grounds of Knox Grammar school on Monday
- Police began investigating after they found a phone lying by the school’s pool
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Nick Warby (pictured), 30, was was arrested at Knox Grammar School on Sydney’s north shore on Monday
A male teacher at one of Sydney’s most top private schools has allegedly been caught with ten devices loaded with child abuse images in the ‘highest range’ of seriousness.
Nick Warby, 30, was arrested at Knox Grammar School on Monday afternoon after a colleague found a mobile phone allegedly containing the graphic images.
Warby – who is the aquatics director at the school – was charged with possession of child abuse material and possessing prohibited drugs, and faced Hornsby Local Court on Tuesday.
The court heard police found four mobile phones and six USB sticks in Warby’s possession allegedly containing a ‘broad range of (child abuse) images’.
Police said that Warby had also allegedly shared the images with others.
Warby’s lawyer Phillip Cox said the swimming teacher had already ‘made a range of admissions’ during a series of interviews with police on Monday night.
‘Mr Warby is a 30-year-old male with no prior criminal offences. There’s no violence in any of these matters,’ Mr Cox said.
‘He’s been in custody overnight and has the support of his mother and father here in court today.
‘He has a safe family home he can reside at with his family.’
Warby sat stony faced in the dock throughout proceedings, looking down and with his hands clasped on his lap.
His parents who were in court to support him sat in the front row of the court and did not make eye contact with their son.
Magistrate Alex Mijovich granted Warby strict bail, requiring him to report to police and not to access mobile devices or use social media.
Warby is understood to have held the role of Director of Aquatic Sports at the leading private school (pictured)
Phillip Cox, the lawyer for Warby (pictured), said the swimming teacher had already ‘made a range of admissions’ during a series of interviews with police on Monday night.
Warby was arrested after a fellow Knox Grammar staff member found the phone by the side school pool.
The phone allegedly contained a large number of child abuse images.
Detectives were called to the school and later arrested Warby.
‘Police will also allege substances, believed to be Ice and GHB, were found when the man’s car was searched,’ a NSW Police Media release said.
Warby is understood to have held the role of Director of Aquatic Sports at the top private school, where fees are up to $33,000 for a Year 12 student.
In a letter sent home to parents, Knox Grammar headmaster Scott James confirmed Warby had been ‘removed from his duties’ and they were assisting police with their investigations.
‘Yesterday afternoon, a colleague discovered inappropriate internet images on a mobile phone which we believe belongs to the staff member,’ the letter read.
Knox Grammar School headmaster Scott James sent a letter (pictured) to parents in the wake of Warby’s arrest
‘The images were immediately brought to the attention of the Headmaster and police were alerted.
‘They have advised us that there is currently no suggestion that the images relate to Knox boys or swim centre students.’
Warby describes himself on LinkedIn as: ‘a friendly and enthusiastic educator with a passion for promoting sport and physical activity amongst young people’.
He began working at Knox Grammar in 2017, having previously worked at Strathfield South Public School.