Teenage boys from one of Australia’s most expensive private schools face aggravated sexual assault charges after an alleged attack in the city’s eastern suburbs.
Three students from Sydney’s prestigious Scots College have been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in an alleyway in the city’s eastern suburbs, New South Wales police say.
The boys, two aged 14 and one aged 13, were arrested on Thursday morning after police executed search warrants at several homes. They are accused of assaulting the girl on the evening of 22 July near Bondi Junction.
Two of the teenagers were each charged with aggravated sexual assault in the company of others and two counts of aggravated sexual touching. The third was charged with aggravated sexual assault in company and one count of aggravated sexual touching. All three have been granted strict conditional bail and are due to appear in a children’s court on 25 August.
During the searches, officers seized electronic devices that will undergo forensic examination, along with two replica firearms, a Glock-style BB gun, three laser pointers and a number plate believed to have been stolen.
Elite Sydney school students face court over alleged assault:
Scots College, an all-boys private school in Bellevue Hill, is one of Sydney’s oldest and most expensive institutions, with senior fees exceeding A$50,000 a year. In a statement, the college said it was aware three of its students were under investigation in relation to an alleged incident that occurred outside school hours. It confirmed it became aware of further details through the police media release and said it was important the investigation be allowed to take its course.
“It would not be appropriate for the college to comment further,” the school said.
Police launched the investigation after receiving reports of the alleged assault. The three boys cannot be legally identified because of their age. The case remains before the courts, and the allegations have not been tested.
The charges come amid ongoing public scrutiny of behaviour and culture at elite Australian private schools. Scots College itself attracted attention last year after a separate incident involving students. Authorities have not linked the two matters.
Sexual assault of a minor remains one of the most serious offences under Australian law. Support services for survivors of sexual violence are available through organisations such as 1800RESPECT. The investigation is continuing as forensic analysis of the seized devices proceeds.