Award-winning jazz musician who taught at several secondary schools is charged with sexual activity with a child in his care
- Jazz musician who taught at several schools is facing charge of sexual activity
- James Mustafa was charged by Victoria Police sexual crimes detectives
- The horn player, pianist and composer is expected to plead guilty in court in May
James Mustafa (pictured), an Australian Jazz Bell Award winner from Melbourne, was charged with the offence by Victoria Police sexual crimes detectives
A prominent jazz musician who taught at several secondary schools has been charged with sexual activity with a child in his care.
James Mustafa, an Australian Jazz Bell Award winner from Melbourne, was charged with the offence by Victoria Police sexual crimes detectives.
The horn player, pianist and composer is expected to plead guilty as listed on his scheduled court appearance at Ringwood Magistrates Court in May.
Mr Mustafa, who is in his mid 20s, was charged with one count of encouraging a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision or authority to engage in, or be involved in, sexual activity, The Age reported.
The charge faces a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Amid the allegations, Mr Mustafa's website and Twitter appear to be down.
The deleted website listed him as a former employee at Nossal High School, Wesley College, Donvale Christian College and Gippsland Grammar.
The allegations have caused shock waves throughout the jazz community with many questioning whether enough was done to tackle his behaviour seriously.
One female musician, who did not wish to be named, told The Age she met Mr Mustafa when he was on a scholarship at Monash University.
A prominent jazz musician (pictured) who taught at several secondary schools has been charged with sexual activity with a child in his care
The horn player, pianist and composer is expected to plead guilty as listed on his scheduled court appearance at Ringwood Magistrates Court in May
She said there were rumours about women being harassed at the time and more recently, the jazz community begun to distance themselves from the accused.
'The jazz community is very small and people gossip quite a lot, it's also very male-dominated,' she said.
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'It can be all ''boys will be boys''.'
Toshi Clinch, organiser of the Big Band Through The Ages festival, said he learnt of the allegations after booking Mr Mustafa's band the Victorian Youth Jazz Collective to appear at the 2018 festival.
The band is mostly children under the age of 18.
Mr Clinch claimed he asked Mr Mustafa about the accusations which were denied.
Mr Mustafa, who is in his mid 20s, was charged with one count of encouraging a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision or authority to engage in, or be involved in, sexual activity
'I sent him an email saying I never want to talk to you again,' Mr Clinch said.
A jazz club manager, who did not wish to use their name, said the saddest thing about the allegations is that no one is surprised by them.
Before the charge, Mr Mustafa developed a name for himself in Melbourne's tight-knit jazz community and even shared the stage with James Morrison.
He started his own youth orchestras and won the Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year award in 2015 for leading the James Mustafa Jazz Orchestra.
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