A former private school teacher, found guilty of sending explicit messages to a minor, will serve his sentence through community service rather than incarceration.
In fact, the recipient of the messages was a 14-year-old who, along with another teenager, created a fake profile on the LGBTQI dating app Grindr as part of a sting operation to expose potential predators.
The teacher, Gulson, defended his actions by claiming that the conversation was a momentary lapse in judgment while he was distracted by grading papers.
However, Judge Hugh Donnelly criticized Gulson’s explanation, calling it “improbable, implausible, and inconsistent with the logical course of events” when delivering his verdict.
Judge Donnelly noted that Gulson’s admission of feeling “super conflicted” indicated that he was aware his actions were inappropriate.
The court learned that the teacher had acknowledged the youth he was communicating with was “young, super young.”
“Once the conversation began, the defendant was very deliberate in terms of expression and keenness,” Donnelly said.
Gulson had a sexual interest in children, he determined when he found the former teacher guilty of procuring a child for unlawful sexual activity in January.
He had browsed for child abuse material and rape scenes, lodging 166 searches of pornography sites showing teenage boys during a three-month period in 2024, Judge Donnelly said.
He described Gulson’s texts to the 15-year-old as “extremely explicit”, mentioning kissing and licking, spotlighting a message which read “do you find it (sic) hot you’re the same age as my students?”
Gulson also said he would be happy to meet up, encouraging the teen to sneak out of their parents’ house so they could find a “quiet place” for sexual activity, the court was previously told.
But the teenager deleted the Grindr account before any rendezvous occurred and was not harmed.
Donnelly said Gulson’s conduct had a “real potential for harm”, but took the loss of his teaching career into account when imposing the sentence.
He took a “guarded view” of Gulson’s prospect of rehabilitation, pointing out he had “cast himself as the victim” because the child he was messaging was “a civilian with malicious intent”.
The former teacher has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25).
