A staff member employed casually at a prestigious Sydney private school has been dismissed following accusations of offering payment to a teenage girl for explicit content.
Benjamin David Collinge, 29, was an employee at Newington College. He was apprehended by authorities early Thursday morning after a police search at his mother’s residence in Beecroft, located in Sydney’s north-west.
The arrest transpired just over a week after the sex crimes unit received a tip-off regarding a man who allegedly attempted to persuade a 14-year-old girl to send him sexual material in return for money.
Following a thorough investigation by Strike Force Trawler, law enforcement officials conducted a raid on the Beecroft home and subsequently transported Collinge to the Gladesville Police Station.
Collinge now faces charges of using a carriage service to groom a minor under 16 for sexual purposes, along with charges related to accessing child abuse material via a carriage service.
Prior to his arrest, Collinge had occasionally worked in the music department at Newington College, providing classroom support.
Headmaster Michael Parker released a letter to parents, informing them that Collinge had been fired.
‘Newington was first made aware of this matter this afternoon and is working with Police and the Office of the Children’s Guardian on the ongoing investigation,’ it read.
Benjamin David Collinge, 29, was arrested on Thursday morning and charged with child grooming offences
‘Police have informed us that no Newington students, or students at schools we have recently been associated with, have been identified as having been involved.
‘Mr Collinge worked in various casual roles with the Music department at the Senior campus, Wyvern House and Lindfield since 2015, during which time he completed all mandatory child protection training, held a valid Working With Children Check, and there were not complaints about his behaviour.’
Mr Parker said the school was ‘deeply upset by these allegations’ and that it would ‘work closely with police on the protection of children’.
‘I will communicate with you again once more information is known and as permitted by Police,’ the letter read.
Footage showed Collinge being escorted out of the $2million home wearing a $190 Palace Caveman shirt.
Newington College is a Pre-K to Year 12 boarding school with campuses in Stanmore, Eungai Creek, and Lindfield, with annual fees hitting more than $48,000.
Collinge graduated from Newington College in 2014 and went on to become a casual worker at the same institution.
He was thanked in a 2025 school newsletter for assisting with a concert at the primary school campus.
Footage showed Collinge being escorted from his mother’s house in Beecroft
Collinge graduated from Newington College and later became a music teacher at the school
Collinge was refused bail to appear in Burwood Local Court on Thursday.
Newington College announced plans to become co-educational in 2023, prompting some parents and alumni to launch action in the NSW Supreme Court.
Lawyers claimed the school was formed to teach males, pointing to a trust deed from 1873 that described Newington College as ‘an efficient college for youth’.
They argued the term ‘youth’ was limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men.
A judge dismissed the matter in May 2025, ruling the word ‘youth’ in the trust deed was used in a gender-neutral sense.
The school is now accepting girls into all years at the Lindfield campus, and girls in Kindy, Year 1, Year 5 and Year 6 at the Stanmore campus from 2027.
Female students in Year 7 and Year 11 can enroll at the senior campus in Stanmore from 2028.
