Scots college students charged with sexual assault of teen girl appear in court

Three boys, two aged 14 and one aged 13, on bail and yet to enter a plea after alleged assault in Sydney’s east

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Three teenage boys from a prestigious Sydney private school who allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl in an alleyway in Sydney’s eastern suburbs have faced court for the first time.

On Tuesday the three boys, two aged 14 and one 13, all pupils at Sydney’s Scots College, had their matter heard in Surry Hills children’s court but remained outside the courtroom.

The court heard the trio, who are on bail, had been issued an AVO which states that they cannot go within 200 metres of the girl they allegedly assaulted.

The boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged after an alleged incident on Wednesday, 22 July.

One of the 14-year-olds and the 13-year-old are charged with aggravated sexual assault in the company of others and two counts of aggravated sexual touching.

The other 14-year-old was charged with aggravated sexual assault in the company of others and one count of aggravated sexual touching.

Court documents which provide brief detail of the allegations against them allege that the incident occurred over 55 minutes.

Judge Sue Duncombe also warned media in court about the need to protect the identities of the teenagers after the court heard some of their names had been revealed in online comment sections.

“This matter has obviously attracted a lot of media attention so far,” Duncombe said. “There have already been some repercussions on some of the young people from being identified.”

The matter was adjourned for eight weeks until 20 October.

On Monday, defamation lawyer Rebekah Giles, who is representing two of the boys, sent a letter to media outlets reminding them of their obligations under the Children Criminal Proceedings Act, which prohibits the identification of any children involved in criminal proceedings.

The accused trio are on bail and are yet to enter a plea.

As part of their bail conditions, the trio must stay at home between the hours of 6pm and 6am unless accompanied by their parents, are not to be in the company of each other outside of school hours, are not to contact the girl they allegedly assaulted, and are not to enter the suburb of Bondi Junction.

The Scots College, where the trio are students, is one of Sydney’s oldest and most expensive boys’ schools, charging fees of up to $47,000 a year.

The school has said it is cooperating with police regarding the alleged rape.

“Scots College is aware three students are under investigation by NSW Police in relation to an alleged incident that occurred outside school hours,” the school said in a statement on 13 August.