Auckland teacher Edwin John Downing sentenced for child sex abuse and grooming

Auckland school teacher Edwin Downing was found guilty of grooming and sexually abusing teenagers. Photo / Michael Craig

A South Auckland school teacher who groomed children using the dating app Grindr before sexually abusing them will spend six-and-a-half years behind bars.

Edwin John Downing, 43, was today sentenced at the High Court in Auckland after being found guilty of 11 charges following a two-week trial last November.

The charges included sexual conduct with a young person under 16, meeting a young person following sexual grooming and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

The High Court heard how the father-of-one approached two teenagers on Grindr and offered between $40 and $100 for sex in 2018.

On one occasion he met and drove a 15-year-old boy to a road in Drury and sexually assaulted him.

Downing also met with a 13-year-old person four times for sex over a period of nine months, offering cash at a time when the victim's family was in hardship.

The transactional nature contributed to the victim's vulnerability, Justice Neil Campbell told the courtroom this morning. Neither of the victims were students of Downing.

Justice Neil Campbell Photo / Michael Craig

In one victim impact statement, the survivor said they were "easily overwhelmed and startled by most mundane interaction involving physical contact" after the offending.

Another said they now have a lack of trust in men.

Downing's lawyer, Peter Kaye, said this was a situation "where a married man had clear homosexual tendencies".

"He went on Grindr, which clearly has one purpose."

Kaye says Downing's victims lied about their ages on Grindr.

Justice Campbell said it was clear Downing has not accepted his offending and the harm caused on victims after continually denying he had sex with anyone underage.

Where to get help:

• If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
• If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone call the confidential crisis helpline Safe to Talk on: 0800 044 334 or text 4334.
• Alternatively contact your local police station.
• If you have been abused, remember it's not your fault.