Dramatic moment: Maths teacher is arrested on school grounds after being accused of sending explicit messages to a young boy

Dramatic details have emerged about the arrest of a high school math teacher accused of sending explicit messages to a young boy.

Roberto Charles Messina, 51, was fired last week after his arrest at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School in Mirrabooka, north of Perth.

Messina appeared in the Armadale Magistrates Court on Friday charged with attempting to procure a child under the age of 13 for sexual activity.

A teacher at the school has detailed the details of Messina’s shock arrest, claiming it took place in full view of a group of students.

The teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, said the Year 7 students were in an assembly in the central quadrangle and were given end-of-year certificates.

She said police entered the school’s nearby math office and “all the kids watched it unfold before their eyes.”

The teacher claims that police led Messina past the students to the front of the school.

‘The students then walked by, went back to their classrooms and saw the police addressing them [Messina]’, she said.

“They looked out the classroom window and saw the head of mathematics being handcuffed and put into a car.”

The teacher said the situation was “a lot for the students to deal with.”

“I have never heard of a teacher being arrested at school, especially in the middle of the day when classes are in full swing,” she said.

Western Australian police said detectives searched the home in Messina’s Wattle Grove and seized several electronic devices.

Police allege Messina used a number of online sites to talk to someone he believed was a young boy and that these conversations were sexually explicit in nature, including sharing sexual images.

Messina has been charged with intent to arrest a person believed to be under the age of 13 for sexual activity, possessing child exploitation material and distributing it.

A teacher at the school claims Messina’s arrest took place in front of a group of students

The married father’s complaint does not in any way relate to students at the Anglican school where he has taught for the past sixteen years.

It has also been revealed that Messina had taught at one of Perth’s most elite private schools in the early 2000s, the Western Australia reported.

In March 2005, Messina was suspended before leaving Guildford Grammar School, where he was believed to have worked as a Year 8 maths teacher.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Messina’s suspension from Guildford Grammar School was related to the matters he is currently facing charges over.

John Septimus Roe said in a statement that it took swift action after learning of the allegations.

“John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School has taken immediate action to terminate the employment of a 51-year-old staff member who was charged by police with child exploitation offenses on November 31, 2023,” the school said.

‘The staff member had a valid Working With Children Check – a mandatory screening by the WA Government, and was a member of the Teacher Registration Board of WA.’

The school said Messina had completed the relevant Child Safe staff induction course and was bound by the staff code of conduct.

The school said Messina’s employment was terminated when it learned of the allegations

Principal Jason Bartell said the school was shocked by the allegations and appreciated the work of investigators “in this very serious case.”

He also said students and staff have received guidance.

Messina has not applied for bail and will remain in custody until his next court appearance on January 12.

A WA government spokesperson said they could not comment as the matter was before the courts.

“The most important consideration is the best interests of the children,” they said.