James Cook High School teacher Seelandran Ramiah, pictured in 2017. Photo / George Novak
James Cook High School teacher Seelandran Ramiah, pictured in 2017. Photo / George Novak
A teenager who went to her assistant principal for advice after boyfriend problems was left “deeply shaken” after he abused his position of trust – groping her in his office, sending inappropriate videos and giving her a vibrating sex toy at school.
“Effectively you used your position of respect in your school to take advantage of the defendant,” Judge Janey Forrest said as she sent Ramiah to jail and added his name to the Child Sex Offenders Register on Thursday.
According to the summary of facts, the girl was just 14 years old when she first approached Ramiah, a senior dean and assistant principal at the time, after problems with her boyfriend and began to trust him and feel indebted.
Ramiah asked her to download the encrypted messaging app Signal and they began talking during and outside of school hours, often late at night.
Ramiah began steering their conversations towards a sexual nature and asked the girl if she’d masturbated and about her sexual experiences, as well as telling her what he wanted to do to her.
Later that year Ramiah began sending the girl photos of his genitals as well as multiple videos of him masturbating. She sometimes responded with naked pictures of herself or would otherwise tell him no.
Once the girl turned 16 Ramiah’s conduct escalated further. He would call the girl into his office at school and touch her body inappropriately. In one instance he gave her a ride home in his car and kissed her.
During this time he persisted in sending her sexualised messages on Signal and gave her a vibrating sex toy at school, which he encouraged her to use.
Ramiah also asked the girl for her underwear..
Judge Forrest referenced only portions of the girl’s victim impact statement saying she was “deeply shaken” by what had happened.
The girl, who wasn’t in court for the sentencing, said she couldn’t sleep, has constant flashbacks, is scared of men, feels insecure and like she’s a burden on her family.
“In this case, the breach of trust was particularly significant.
Seelan Ramiah was sentenced to 29 months in prison at the Manukau District Court. Photo / George Novak
“Further, you used your role to facilitate some of the offending, and you used your position of trust and authority.”
Judge Forrest said there was a significant level of grooming and planning involved in Ramiah’s offending and it had caused significant harm to the victim.
Ramiah’s lawyer, John Mather, told the court his client had a “significant fall from grace” but was extremely remorseful for what he had done and recognised the harm he had caused his victim.
Mather said his client had no prior convictions and at the time of the offending was experiencing isolation and general health issues as well as a decline in his mental health.
While his case has taken several years to reach sentencing, Mather said Ramiah had pleaded guilty at an early stage and never intended to put his victim through a trial.
Judge Forrest sentenced Ramiah to two years and five months in prison.
Cancelled registration
During the time it’s taken for Ramiah to be sentenced, the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has cancelled his registration.
The facts of the tribunal’s ruling overlap with the charges he was facing in the district court but also encompass his conduct towards two other students as well as a colleague at the school.
He attempted to contact another student in her final year of high school via the messaging app Signal but she didn’t engage. He also asked if she wanted to use a sex toy he had brought with him to school.
Ramiah offered to send a third student pictures of himself masturbating and told a female staff member he wanted to pursue a relationship with her, as well as sending her photos of his genitals.
Ramiah was placed on leave when then-principal Grant McMillan found out about the messages he’d been sending to the first student.
The matter was then referred to the tribunal, which in June described his conduct to each of the women as “gross breaches of trust and abuse of his position of responsibility”.
James Cook High School in Manurewa. Photo / Supplied
“Mr Ramiah’s conduct involved more than one student, apparently for his own sexual gratification and regardless of the students’ wellbeing,” its ruling reads.
“He was persistent and forced his demands on the students despite them expressing discomfort.”
‘Very upsetting’
James Cook High School’s principal Tina Filipo said in a statement published to its website after name suppression was lifted in March that Ramiah was facing charges in relation to “sexual conduct” towards a former student.
“We appreciate this will be very upsetting for our community as Mr Ramiah has been a trusted and long-serving member of our school since the early 2000s,” she said.
“Our priority is supporting any former/current students and families who have been affected by Mr Ramiah and his offending. We are committed to protecting the privacy of anyone impacted.
“There may be a range of emotions as we come to terms with this news as a community. We are also aware that sometimes issues like this can bring trauma to the surface – whether related or unrelated to this former teacher.”
Filipo said the school had sought for the suppression of its name to be lifted in the courts so the school could communicate openly about the issue and put in place support for those who needed it.
In a statement issued by Filipo after Ramiah’s sentencing, Filipo thanked the community for its support to students and staff.
“It is very important to me that you feel assured about how seriously we take any matter affecting the health, safety or wellbeing of any of our students, and our responsibilities around providing a quality education to each of our students,” she said.
Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022.
