Dramatic moment maths teacher is arrested on school grounds after he was accused of sending explicit messages to a young boy

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

Roberto Charles Messina, 51, was sacked after being arrested last week at John Septimus Row Anglican Community School in Mirrabooka, north of Perth.

Messina appeared at Armadale Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with attempting to induce a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

A school teacher described the details of Messina’s shock arrest, claiming it happened in front of a group of students.

Roberto Charles Messina (pictured), 51, was sacked after being arrested last week at John Septimus Row Anglican Community School in Mirrabooka on child exploitation charges.

The teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said the seventh grade students sat in an assembly in the central quadrangle and received their year-end certificates.

She said police entered the school’s math room, which was nearby, and that “all the kids watched it all unfold in front of them.”

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

“The students then walked by and went back to their classes and saw police talking to (Messina),” she said.

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

The teacher said the situation was “not easy for the students.”

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

Western Australia Police said detectives searched a house in Wattle Grove in Messina and seized various electronic devices.

Police allege Messina used a number of online sites to talk to a man he believed was a young boy, and that the conversations were sexually explicit, including the exchange of sexual images.

Messina is charged with intent to engage in sexual activity with a person under 13 years of age, possession of child exploitative materials and distribution of materials.

A school teacher said Messina’s arrest took place in front of a group of students.

The married father’s accusations have nothing to do with students at the Anglican school where he taught for the past 16 years.

It also emerged that Messina taught at one of Perth’s most elite private schools in the early 2000s, the West Australian reported.

In March 2005, Messina was suspended before leaving Guilford Grammar School, where he was supposed to be an eighth-grade math teacher.

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

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

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

“The employee has passed a current Working with Children check, a mandatory WA Government check, and was a member of the WA Teachers Registration Commission.”

The school said Messina had completed the appropriate child safety induction course for staff and complied with the Staff Code of Conduct.

The school said Messina was fired after learning of the allegations.

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

He also said counseling has been offered to students and staff.

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

A Western Australian government spokesman said they were unable to comment as the matter was before the court.

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