The former Newington College teacher charged with raping her student was allowed to teach at a Sydney public school for two years, despite police warning education officials about the complaints against her.
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police → charge → her
Deandra Kontou, 32, was arrested last week following allegations she sexually assaulted and groomed a student in 2019 at the all-boys school, with the child under 16 at the time of the alleged offending.
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child → arrest → offending
She was charged with nine sex offences and was granted conditional bail last week to return to her home in Sydney's south, where she remains employed at Georges River College Senior Campus in Oatley, a public school where she has taught since 2024.
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she → charge → 2024
Despite being forbidden from teaching children and entering school grounds under her bail conditions, Kontou is now understood to be undertaking 'alternative duties'.
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Kontou → forbid → duties
It comes after it was revealed the NSW Department of Education was aware of the complaints against Kontou two years before police charged her.
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police → come → her
Detectives told departmental officials in 2024 about their long-running investigation into the teacher, with the public system's hiring of Kontou now subject to a departmental review, the Daily Telegraph reports.
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Telegraph → tell → review
'These are very serious criminal allegations, which are now before the courts,' NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car said.
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Car → say → courts
'Given the circumstances, I have asked the secretary to urgently review the matter to ensure all correct processes have been followed with regard to this individual's employment within the department.'
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processes → give → department
Deandra Kontou, 32, was arrested after allegedly raping and grooming a student in her care at Newington College in 2019.
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Kontou → arrest → 2019
(She is pictured at a pre-wedding celebration in April 2017)
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She → picture → April
She has been suspended without pay from teaching duties at Georges River College Senior Campus, where she's worked since 2024
NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car has called for an investigation into how Kontou was later hired after it was revealed education officials had been warned by police about the complaints
The Daily Mail understands that Kontou, who taught society and culture, history and geography at the co-educational school, was still in classrooms as recently as last week, with the school forced to remove her after learning of NSW Police's plans to charge her.
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school → suspend → her
Last night, Georges River College Senior Campus principal Anna Girginis wrote to parents: 'As you may be aware, a college staff member was recently charged with child sex offences.
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member → write → offences
These offences do not relate to the staff member's work at Georges River College, Oatley Campus, or in the NSW public education system.'
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offences → relate → system
Ms Girginis reassured parents that Kontou is not currently working at the school.
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Kontou → reassure → school
Indeed, under her bail conditions, Kontou is also banned from entering the grounds of any school or going near any children.
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Kontou → ban → children
She must also report weekly to Sutherland Police Station and surrender her passport.
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She → report → passport
She is due to face Burwood Local Court on November 25, where a brief of evidence is expected to be served.
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brief → face → evidence
Court documents seen by the Daily Mail allege Kontou's offending spanned a six-month period in 2019, with the majority of the allegations occurring during school hours at the Stanmore campus.
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majority → see → campus
Police allege that on May 1, 2019, Kontou groomed her student between 9am and 3pm, exposing him to indecent material with the intention of making it easier to procure him for sexual activity.
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it → allege → activity
Georges River College Senior Campus Principal Anna Girginis wrote to parents last night
Police documents alleged Kontou then used a carriage service to continue grooming the victim for unlawful sexual activity until September 27, 2019.
During the same period, Kontou is accused of inciting the victim to carry out a sexual act with her without his consent, and inciting him to sexually touch her without his consent.
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Kontou → write → consent
Kontou is also accused of sexually touching the boy without his consent during the six-month period.
She also faces an aggravated charge for the same offence, relating to an alleged incident at the Stanmore campus on September 27.
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She → accuse → September
Kontou's alleged offending culminated during a trip with the student to Fitzroy Island in November 2019, where she is accused of sexually touching him in the day, before raping him as night fell.
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night → allege → him
Police allege Kontou had sexual intercourse with the boy between the hours of 10pm and 11pm on November 3, without his consent and knowing he was not consenting.
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he → allege → consent
The alleged offences do not relate to Kontou's work in the NSW public education system.
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offences → allege → system
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education told the Daily Mail: 'The NSW Department of Education has taken every possible action at each stage of the investigation in accordance with police instruction.'
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Do you know more?
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you → tell → more
The Aporia
