A former McClelland Secondary College science teacher, Orhan Sahin, has appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, facing ten charges related to alleged child sexual offences. The 36-year-old Frankston resident is accused of inappropriate conduct towards male students during his tenure at the Frankston-based school.
Court documents allege that Sahin engaged in misconduct, including slapping a student’s buttocks, making sexualised comments, and loitering in areas frequented by students during meal breaks. He is also accused of inappropriatly accessing a student photographs via the school’s online portal, Compass.
Despite his compliance with previous court summons, the magistrate imposed bail conditions due to the severity of the charges. Sahin is required to reside at his Frankston address, avoid contact with witnesses, and attend all court hearings.
The case involves approximately 200 pieces of CCTV footage, with only 20 disclosed to the defence so far. The remaining footage requires redaction to protect the privacy of unrelated students, a process that may take up to a year.
Sahin’s solicitor, Brent Halliwell, stated that his client “absolutely denies” the allegations and criticised the police investigation as a “fishing expedition” following the school’s outreach to thousands of students and parents .
Sahin was suspended by the Victorian Institute of Teaching in June 2024. He previously worked at McClelland College from 2023 until May 2024, served as a casual relief teacher in 2022, and was a graduate teacher at Frankston Heights Primary School in 2018.
McClelland College Principal Laura Dowdell Spence informed families of the charges in May, emphasising the seriousness of the situation and offering support services .
The prosecution is considering the inclusion of three additional complainants. A full hand-up brief is due by 11 August, with a committal hearing scheduled for 19 September 2025.
