Convicted sex offender, former NSW headmaster banned from counselling

A former school headmaster who was jailed for child sex offences has allegedly posed as a healthcare professional to "come into contact with children".

Frankie Allan Bailey was the former headmaster at St Andrew's Christian College Grafton in northern NSW.

Bailey was convicted in two court cases in 2009 and 2010 for abusing his position to have sex with a 16-year-old student and for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

He was sentenced to 10 years in jail and listed on the Child Protection Register (CPR), a sexual offender database managed by NSW Police.

Being listed on the CPR placed conditions on Bailey, including not having any contact with children, and needing to update police on any change to his address, vehicles, travel plans and more.

When he failed to report to police in 2021, the court handed him another term in prison until 2022.

The disgraced headmaster is then accused of trying to forge another career as a healthcare professional by claiming to have qualifications in fields he never studied and trying to spend time alone with at least one child.

'I don't want clients to Google me'

The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) handed Bailey a lifetime ban on Monday, preventing him from providing any health services.

Commissioner John Tansey said the 60-year-old presented himself as a psychotherapist, counsellor and neurotherapist as a ruse to gain access to children.

The commissioner said evidence showed Bailey "knowingly entered the field of counselling" because there were no mandated qualifications, and it was "another way he can come into contact with children" in a statement of decision.

"Mr Bailey said he is fully aware that to be a part of the Australian Counselling Association he requires a Working with Children Check, which he is unable to obtain," Mr Tansey said.

"The Commission found that Mr Bailey's conduct posed a risk to public health and safety."

Police contacted the HCCC after officers arrested Bailey in May 2024 for providing counselling services to a nine-year-old child in violation of the Child Protection Register's terms.

He had been working as a counsellor under the alias "Doctor Allan Bailey" when the child's mother called to schedule an appointment.

Bailey reportedly told police he used his middle name because: "I don't want my clients to Google me."

The HCCC said Bailey diagnosed the nine-year-old over the phone with post-sepsis syndrome and asked him to attend an appointment alone.

The in-person session went ahead with the mother present after she insisted.

Officers charged Bailey soon after with five counts of failing to comply with reporting obligations, and three counts of contravene prohibition order.

Court records show he pleaded guilty to all charges and is currently serving a two-and-a-half year jail sentence.

He is eligible for release on parole.

The ABC approached Corrective Services NSW to offer Bailey a right of reply.

"It's Corrective Services NSW policy not to allow inmate interviews," a spokesperson said.

"We also can't share the inmate's location for privacy reasons."

Church counselling allegation

Police had been monitoring Bailey after a complaint was lodged with the HCCC in June 2023 claiming he was working as a counsellor out of a local church.

"This complaint also raised concerns that Mr Bailey was exhibiting unprofessional behaviour," Mr Tansey said.

Bailey responded to the allegations at the time, according to the HCCC's statement of decision.

He claimed the complaint was "vexatious" and denied providing counselling services out of the church — a claim substantiated by the pastor.

The HCCC acknowledged Bailey held a doctorate in science, but said he was not qualified in any health-related disciplines.

However, he continued to offer behavioural therapy services until his arrest in 2024 under the business name "Southwest Mental Health".

A pamphlet collected at the time reportedly claimed the centre specialised in 25 areas including trauma, addiction, parenting support, self-harm, post-natal depression, cognitive analytic therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy.

The phone number listed belonged to Bailey.

Previous convictions

In 2009, Bailey was convicted of having sex multiple times with a 16-year-old student of the Grafton school.

The NSW District Court heard he had sex with the girl in his family home over five days in 2007.

He was sentenced to a minimum jail term of two years and three months, with a maximum of three years and nine months.

In 2010, the then-46-year-old was convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student after drugging her.

The court heard he convinced the girl's parents to let her stay in his home to sort out behavioural issues.

He gave the girl two tablets — telling her it was Panadol — that made her fall asleep, and she awoke to Bailey molesting her.

He was handed a jail term of six-and-a-half years.

Bailey lodged an appeal with the Court of Criminal Appeal, where his sentence was extended.

He was handed a total term of 10 years to expire in 2019, with a non-parole period of six years.