William Gulson sentencing: Former Knox Grammar teacher to face Downing Centre court over grooming 15-year-old
William Gulson is set to face sentencing at the Downing Centre Local Court after being convicted of grooming a minor online.
A former teacher at a prestigious $37,000-a-year Sydney school will learn his fate in court after he groomed a 15-year-old on a dating app.
William Gulson, 28, was found guilty in January of procuring or grooming a minor for unlawful sexual activity, and is set to be sentenced on Friday morning at the Downing Centre Local Court.
Gulson had messaged the minor, who used a fake name and account, on the dating app Grindr over a 48-hour period in August 2024.
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The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had set up the account to “catch pedos” and because they “thought it would be funny”, the court was previously told.
The former teacher knew the account he was chatting with belonged to a 15-year-old in year 9, the court was told.
During the exchange, which Gulson was engaged in while he was at home marking assignments, the teacher asked the teenager: “Do you find it hot you’re as old as some of my students?”
He also described the teenager as “cute” and “super young” before stating “I hope I don’t teach you” and that he was “conflicted”.
Gulson also encouraged the teen to sneak out of the house so they could meet up.
Police also found during a search of Gulson’s internet history Google search terms for “priest rapes young boy movie scene” and searches relating to “gay child porn” in the two months before his arrest.
He pleaded not guilty to the lone charge and faced a three-day hearing in the Downing Centre Local Court last September.
A few months later, in January, he was found guilty by magistrate Hugh Donnelly, who said he rejected the claim that Gulson believed the teenager was an adult, given Grindr is a site for adults.
The fake profile also described the account as a man aged in his 20s, the court was told.
Mr Donnelly rejected this claim and said Gulson not using the word “adult” or asking if the account was an adult’s during their conversation was “powerful evidence”.
Gulson only asked if the account was a bot, the court was told.
Gulson’s employment with Knox Grammar School was terminated in September 2024, after the allegations came to light.
He has been on conditional bail since.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028, the WA Sexual Assault Resource Centre on 6458 1828 or 1800 199 888 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Originally published as Former Knox Grammar teacher William Gulson to be sentenced over grooming of teen
