Ex-Methodist Ladies’ College teacher accused of ‘grooming’ Bridget Malcolm stood down by Queensland school

A former Methodist Ladies’ College teacher accused of “grooming” ex-student and model Bridget Malcolm is now being investigated by a Queensland school.

Aurelio “Bobby” Gallo lost his teaching licence in WA for at least 3½ years last month after he admitted engaging in “grooming-like behaviour” with Malcolm between 2007 and 2008.

The State Administrative Tribunal found the 53-year-old had unprofessional contact with the one-time Victoria’s Secret model both while she was a student at MLC and shortly after she graduated. This included asking the then-teenager to send him photos, meet him for dinner and accept his Skype request.

Mr Gallo later moved to Queensland and became the head of performing arts at John Paul College in Logan, but he was stood down on Saturday after the school learned of the SAT outcome.

The Queensland College of Teachers also suspended his teaching licence on Monday.

The 30-year-old made a complaint to the TRBWA on March 16 last year and took to social media on Saturday to talk about her experience, saying she was still in shock and processing the verdict.

“Today it became public knowledge that my high school music teacher lost his teacher’s licence in Western Australia for three years,” Malcolm said in a video.

“He lost it for serious misconduct against a student whilst he was teaching them, and I am that student.”

The SAT found Gallo failed to maintain professional boundaries with her by asking for her number while she was at MLC and emailing her.

A thread of disturbing emails Gallo sent to Malcolm shortly after she graduated was published along with other details, which the SAT determined rendered him “unfit to be registered as a teacher”.

“It sounds exciting that you may pop in in March — I might be lucky enough to see you,” a February 2009 email from Gallo says.

“Or even better DINNER. But I must not get my hopes up … LUV always.”

Several days later he then indirectly asked the teenager for a topless image.

“Thought I would go first seeing that you still have not sent me any pictures yet,” Gallo said in an email attaching a photo of himself.

“What makes it worse is to hear that (someone) received some very interesting pictures!!!

“. . .(name of another teacher) who went on to tell me that she spoke to you for an hour and inform (sic) of the topless photos which you obviously didn’t sent me!!!

“Why not may I ask!”

In his submissions, Gallo denied grooming Malcolm but accepted his conduct was “inappropriate”.

For the full story visit The West Australian.