Perth Music Teacher Charged with Child Exploitation Material Offences

A Perth music teacher has been charged with producing child exploitation material and indecently recording a child, following an investigation by the Child Abuse Squad.

David Matthew Hicks, 34, appeared in the Joondalup Magistrates Court after detectives seized several electronic devices from his home in Hillarys. The police prosecutor told the court that Mr Hicks's devices were being further examined.

According to the court, Mr Hicks is employed at several private schools in Perth and also conducts private music tutoring. He has been charged with three counts of producing child exploitation material and two counts of indecently recording a child over the age of 13 and under 16.

The police prosecutor stated that Mr Hicks secretly recorded a child change out of their school uniform using a covert camera on a bookshelf and, on another occasion, recorded a child change out of their uniform using a tablet. He said Mr Hicks recorded children at a swimming pool on his phone and altered the material to remove their bathers and add male genitals.

The court also heard that Mr Hicks produced a written story in which two of his students performed a sexual act, which was allegedly found on his laptop, along with more than 100 images of children. When asked to indicate if he understood the charges, Mr Hicks nodded.

Police have asked anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact Crime Stoppers or make a report via the Safe2Say online reporting platform. The hearing continues.