A HUNTER school Aboriginal liaison officer accused of grooming one student and detaining two others for sexual activity wept as he was refused bail on Friday as a judge said he was accused of a "very grave breach of trust".
The 30-year-old man, who cannot be identified, was working as an Aboriginal education officer at a Hunter school before his arrest in February this year.
The man is accused of using social media to send messages to a girl, 14, to try to convince her to meet him on February 7 this year.
Justice Richard Button said on Friday the messages started at 3am and the man allegedly wrote that he was "partying", which the judge thought could mean he was using drugs or alcohol which he said could have the effect of "hypersexualisation".
"He is in a position of trust in a high school and he allegedly tried to persuade a young girl in his care to have sexual contact with him," Justice Button said. "It's also alleged that on the same day that he took a young girl who was 15 and one who was 16 away from where they should be and tried to sexualise them as well."
The man has not entered pleas to charges of procuring a child for unlawful sexual activity, taking a person with intent to commit a serious indictable offence and detaining a person with intent to obtain an advantage.
The charges relate to three teenage girls - aged 14, 15 and 16 - and were allegedly all committed on February 7 this year, the court heard.
The man appeared via audio visual link from jail on Friday to apply for bail in the NSW Supreme Court, arguing he could be released on stringent conditions, including a curfew and orders that he abstain from drugs and alcohol and not access a phone or use technology.
His lawyer said the allegations would be defended and go to trial, which he said likely wouldn't be able to be heard in Newcastle District Court until late 2024.
And he said the proposed conditions would mean the man would not have any contact with children and said regardless of whether he was ultimately convicted of acquitted, he would never be employed in a position in a school again.
But Justice Button refused bail, saying despite the man's lack of criminal record and the proposed bail conditions there was a "strong case of a breach of trust" and the allegations were "grave".
"The concern is what is alleged is a very grave breach of trust," Justice Button said. "He is someone working at a high school and is supposed to be helping young people and protecting them. "And there is at least one strong case where he is doing the opposite really."
Justice Button said there was an unacceptable risk of the man committing further offences if he was given bail and refused the application.
He will next appear in Newcastle Local Court on August 9.
