Dunedin's education community is in a state of shock after one of its former leading lights was unmasked as a sexual predator.
Amadeo Enriquez Ballestero was "Mr Science" to a generation of the city’s children; a charismatic, wide-eyed sorcerer in a lab coat, Otago Museum’s poster boy.
Yesterday’s jail sentence marked an enormous fall from grace and left those with whom he previously worked scrambling for answers.
Otago Museum director Ian Griffin said museum staff were "shocked and greatly saddened" to hear of Enriquez Ballestero’s crimes.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with those affected by his offending," he said.
"If the activities of this individual harmed any of our visitors, we invite them to contact us so that we can provide assistance and support."
Enriquez Ballestero was also heavily involved with the Dunedin Astronomical Society and was a fixture at the Beverly-Begg observatory, regularly running programmes for children over the years.
A spokesman for the group said the news had left members reeling.
"Like other community organisations, we never thought this would be an outcome from someone we trusted. We naively assumed that a registered teacher and popular science communicator would align with our long-standing values and reputation," he said.
The spokesman said the organisation had now established character-checking measures and staffing arrangements to ensure that it never happened again.
"We urge all community groups, of any size, to do the same in order to protect the young and vulnerable."
Enriquez Ballestero graduated from the University of Otago with a bachelor of science degree in 2004 and was subsequently involved with several Dunedin schools.
Trinity Catholic College principal Kate Nicholson said there were no complaints about his conduct during his time there.
It was a similar story at Balmacewen Intermediate, where Enriquez Ballestero was employed part-time from 2020 to 2022.
Principal Andrew Hunter said the defendant had worked with teachers to develop science programmes and experiments and no concerns had been raised over his behaviour.
Enriquez Ballestero left Dunedin for Christchurch in 2022 to teach in a newly constructed science lab at Breens Intermediate School.
Board of trustees chairman Ryan Young said he was unaware of yesterday’s sentencing and added: "this very unfortunate circumstance does not involve our school."
According to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, Enriquez Ballestero’s certification lapsed in November and he had "voluntarily agreed not to teach".
A spokeswoman said, due to confidentiality, the council could not disclose whether it had previously received complaints about him.
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