(AUSTRALIA)
Stuff [Wellington, New Zealand]
October 2, 2025
By Sally Rawsthorne, Sydney Morning Herald
Police allege that the predatory behaviour of northern beaches drama teacher Ella Clements escalated significantly over a five-month period.
Clements, 24, was arrested last month and faced court on Monday, charged over allegations she had sexually abused a student from the Catholic boys’ school, St Augustine’s College, in Brookvale.
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Wednesday that the alleged abuse came to light when the father of the boy, who cannot be named due to laws protecting the identity of children involved in criminal proceedings, saw text messages between his son and the teacher.
Court documents obtained by this masthead allege that in May this year, she intentionally sexually touched a 15-year-old boy in her care.
Her alleged abuse of the student worsened with time; police will allege that Clements had sexual intercourse three times with the student between July 7 and September 15, the day before she was arrested.
She had worked at the school for at least a year before her arrest.
Clements was granted bail on Monday by Manly Local Court on a raft of conditions, including a AU$100,000 surety, not going within one kilometre of the school, not using a smartphone or social media, not leaving home between 9pm and 5am, and reporting to police every Sunday.
Police initially applied for the decision to be stayed – effectively pausing Clements’ release – pending a hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, but prosecutors decided not to proceed with the decision.
On Wednesday, she was released to the care of a private Sydney hospital. When released from hospital, she must reside with her parents in their AU$1.6 million Northern Rivers home.
She will return to court in November.
In a letter to parents obtained by this masthead, St Augustine’s principal Jonathan Byrne said the college’s focus was on ensuring the “privacy and wellbeing” of the student, and warned against harmful speculation as the school comes to grips with the “incredibly distressing” allegations levelled at Clements.
“The judicial process must be allowed to run its natural course, however I believe that the former teacher has betrayed the trust placed in them by the college and families,” Byrne told parents in a letter sent out on Monday evening.
Byrne said the school immediately notified police after becoming aware of the allegations and stood down Clements, whose employment was subsequently terminated.
– Sydney Morning Herald