Police have charged a former teacher at a well-known Melbourne independent school over historical sex abuse allegations.
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Trevor Spurritt, who worked at Camberwell Grammar School, has been charged with indecent assault.
It follows claims that Mr Spurritt molested a 12-year-old student on a school camp and in a classroom during the 1970s.
Victoria Police confirmed that the Box Hill sexual offences and child abuse team had charged a 74-year-old man from the eastern suburbs.
The Age revealed last year that police had interviewed Mr Spurritt and at the time he was still a registered teacher.
He is no longer listed as a registered teacher on the Victorian Institute of Teaching website.
Former student David, not his real name, said the alleged abuse had a devastating impact on his life. He suffers chronic depression, is an alcoholic and has trouble sleeping.
"It turns your life upside down," he said. "Alcohol, drugs, everything. I need some completion. I want to move on."
He said that he became withdrawn and started neglecting his studies after the alleged incidents took place.
"People don't understand what an impact this has. I haven't felt safe for years. It's horrible," David said.
Camberwell Grammar School principal Paul Hicks said the alleged incidents had not been reported to the school when they took place more than 40 years ago.
He said the school had fully co-operated with police and it had received no more complaints.
"Given that the matter is now before the courts, we are not able to make any further comment on this specific case at this time," he said.
Mr Hicks said that school always offered care, support and assistance to anyone who came to it with a concern and encouraged them to contact relevant authorities, including police.
"We recognise that breaches of trust between teachers and their students can be very damaging and have long-lasting impacts," he said.
"We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of our students, present and past."
Mr Spurritt is due to appear before the Magistrate's Court on December 6.
Schools risk being deregistered if they don't comply with new child safe standards.
The standards were a recommendation of the Victorian inquiry into child sexual abuse.
