A FORMER Ballarat teacher accused of sexually assaulting male students has been granted bail for the second time.
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Dennis Michael Stewart, 49, was released from custody yesterday afternoon but under strict bail conditions, including to reside with family at an interstate address.
Stewart is yet to enter a plea to 18 charges, including to 17 counts of committing an indecent act with a child under 16.
Since his bail was revoked two months ago, the police case against Stewart has grown and now includes four child complainants.
Stewart appeared in the dock of Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday, where he cried while being sworn in to give evidence.
While on oath, he admitted he had previously breached bail conditions by contacting students at the Ballarat-based school where he previously taught, the name of which cannot be published for legal reasons.
When asked why he did it, Stewart said: “I think I was at a point where any support was appreciated.
“I certainly will not create another (social media) page, and if I did I’m sure it would be picked up quickly,” he said.
Stewart also gave an undertaking to the court not to contact students.
Defence barrister Tom Danos argued that because the matter had since gone into the committal stream, delay was a major issue with a potential trial date unlikely this year.
He said Stewart also had pressing health problems, including requiring urgent dental work that could not be done in custody.
“He has very clearly learnt a salutary lesson in what occurred then (with the breach),” Mr Danos said.
“He is now prepared to do everything he can to avoid doing it again.”
After much deliberation magistrate Peter Couzens granted bail, acknowledging Mr Danos’s submissions.
“Delay is particularly significant given the health issues of Mr Stewart,” he said.
“It’s not an easy application to deal with given the nature of the charges.”
When Stewart appeared in court last November, Detective Senior Constable Mathew Young gave evidence and claimed Stewart had touched a boy’s genitals on two separate occasions and masturbated in front of him.
He said Stewart had also walked in on the teenager while he was in the shower, and would himself walk around naked in front of him. Stewart is due back in the same court on May 31 for a committal mention hearing.
