'To Catch a Predator'-style operation ensnares 28-year-old gay English/drama teacher

A former teacher at the prestigious Knox Grammar School in Sydney has been found guilty of procuring a minor for sex via the gay dating app Grindr. The conviction follows an incident where a decoy pretending to be a underage male student contacted the teacher while using the app to "catch pedophiles."

William Roberto Gulson, 28 -- who taught English and drama at the elite institution -- was charged in 2024 with grooming a minor for unlawful sexual activity.

The case was heard in the Downing Centre Local Court last September, where the former teacher pleaded not guilty during a three-day hearing. On Tuesday, Magistrate Hugh Donnelly handed down a guilty verdict, describing Gulson’s explanations for his graphic internet searches and sexualized chats as "wholly unconvincing."

The charges stemmed from a sexualized conversation on Grindr in which Gulson communicated with a 15-year-old girl posing as a boy. The teenager and a friend were running a fake profile on the app with the specific goal of catching predators.

The teen informed Gulson that he was a 15-year-old 9th grader "looking for older men." According to court testimony, Gulson continued the explicit conversation for more than 40 minutes after learning the person was a minor. Gulson told the child he was interested in "kissing, sucking, f***ing, and cuddling."

In court, Gulson testified that he never actually believed the user was a child. He claimed he thought the exchange was a bizarre attempt by a "wacko adult" pretending to be a minor.

"I believed I was dealing with an adult male that was using the site," Gulson told the court.

However, that claim was contradicted by his own messages, which included: "Do you find it hot that you are as old as some of my students?" and "I feel conflicted."

The court also heard that Gulson -- who denied having a sexual attraction to children -- had searched for "gay child porn" nine days before his arrest. Gulson claimed the term might have been "auto-filled," saying he had no memory of typing it. When questioned about other searches, such as "young boy raped movie scene" and "movies about priests molesting boys," Gulson dismissed them, saying, "Look at anyone’s phone... I’m sure lots of people type in eyebrow-raising searches."

Magistrate Donnelly rejected those denials, stating Gulson’s answers had the "hallmark of recent invention." The magistrate found that the former educator clearly had a sexual interest in children, as evidenced by both his search history and the fact that he never once used the word "adult" during the lengthy chat.

Instead, Gulson encouraged the person he believed to be a boy to sneak out of his parents' house so they could find a "quiet place" for sexual activity. "Collectively, this is powerful evidence," Donnelly said.

Gulson remained impassive as the verdict was read. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison. His bail was continued pending his sentencing hearing in March.

Before his arrest in September 2024, Gulson was a teacher at the elite Knox Grammar School and a private tutor. Following the charges, Knox Headmaster Scott James notified parents that the teacher had been immediately removed and terminated.

Knox Grammar is one of Australia’s most exclusive schools, with annual tuition fees reaching approximately $43,170 per student, and boarding costs adding another $39,210.