Former Brighton Grammar teacher pleads guilty to child porn charges
THOMAS HUNTER
George Iliakis leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court after being granted bail in May last year. Photo: Paul Rovere
A former teacher from one of Victoria’s leading private schools today pleaded guilty to possessing more than 16,000 pornographic images and videos of boys aged between the ages of six and 16.
George Iliakis, 36, formerly a grade six teacher at Brighton Grammar, faced charges of accessing child pornography, knowingly possessing child pornography, using the internet to transmit child pornography and procure children for sexual activity.
The court heard Iliakis, of Edithvale, joined a members-only internet chat site for men in 2003 under the name “Mr. Teacherman”.
Commonwealth prosecutor Krista Breckweg alleged Iliakis shared pornographic images and videos with other chatroom users, including “36 child abuse images and one child abuse video … all of this material was taken by the offender himself”.
The prosecution alleged Iliakis, who now works at a call centre, made a film involving boys he met while directing a play for a theatre group working at a life-saving club.
Ms Breckweg said Iliakis asked the two boys, both 13, if they wanted to act in a film he was making called “Sleepers and Studs” about teenage children having trouble at home.
Of the pornographic material found on his computer, defence counsel said “the overwhelming majority of it was the lowest level”.
“My client instructs that is the level he was most interested in,” said Michael Tovey, QC.
“What he transmitted … were role-playing activities. My client is adamant he has never done anything to hurt a child.”
Mr Tovey said Iliakis had been raped by a neighbour when he was nine and had suffered an isolated adolescence.
Psychologist Jeffrey Cummins told the court Iliakis had “close to zero empathy” with his victims, he had only “minimal” insight into his behaviour, and his behaviour blurred the boundaries between fantasy and reality.
“It is a concern for rehabilitation but he has been very motivated to receive treatment,” he said, adding he thought it was “unlikely” Iliakis would re-offend.
The prosecution recommended a jail sentence of between two-and-a-half and four-and-a-half years for Iliakis.
Judge Susan Pullen remanded him in custody for sentencing on February 18.
Brighton Grammar has a lot to answer for as sexual assault at that school goes back to the 1960′s or earlier. I should know as I suffered in the hands of one of the masters there.