A FORMER teacher allegedly had sex with a teenage schoolgirl across a period of several months last year while he was employed at All Saints' College in Maitland.
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Daniel Raymond Belcher's identity can now be revealed after his charges were mentioned for the first time in Maitland Local Court on Friday.
The 39-year-old man, who has since been fired, turned up at the courthouse but did not have to appear in the courtroom when his matter was called.
Belcher's defence solicitor told the court he had not seen the full brief of evidence in the case and the police prosecutor asked for eight weeks to finish compiling it and serve it.
Magistrate Ron Maiden agreed and adjourned the case to Newcastle Local Court in June.
Court documents reveal detectives allege Belcher had sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl while she was under his care nine times between June and December 2023.
Belcher was arrested by a detective from the Port Stephens Hunter police district at Maitland Police Station on March 28 following an investigation.
He was granted bail by police at the time and his conditions were continued in court on Friday.
Belcher has not been required to enter pleas to nine counts of having sexual intercourse with a young person under special care, aged between 17 and 18 years old.
Belcher was put on administrative leave from his role on the teaching staff at the school's senior campus in March after allegations of "serious misconduct" arose, a statement from the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle said at the time.
In a letter sent to parents and carers earlier this month, All Saints' Maitland acting principal Nathan Mansfield confirmed the 39-year-old male teacher who had been charged by NSW Police was "no longer employed by the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle".
"This individual no longer holds accreditation to teach on a search of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) public register," he said.
Support was made available to members of the school community through the Diocesan Employee Assistance Program at 1800 613 155.
They may also contact the Diocese's specialist child protection service, the Office of Safeguarding, at 4979 1390 or its confidential Whistleblower Hotline run by PKF Australia on 1300 989 183.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
