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The University of Melbourne has hidden behind privacy obligations while declining to comment on how a man police allege is a 'registrable offender' was able to enrol in an arts degree before he was accused of further offending.
Anthony Brooks, 33, made the Dean's Honours List and scored himself a scholarship to the prestigious institute before fronting court earlier this month over new charges.
Brooks, who appeared before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday, June 19, was allegedly caught multiple times with child abuse material at a Docklands address in July and December 2024.
It was also alleged that Brooks transmitted child abuse material to a 'known associate' in May 2024 and transmitted material multiple times in July 2024.
Brooks also allegedly stalked a person at Docklands between February 2023 and June 2024.
Police allege Brooks engaged in a course of conduct in which he created multiple 'fictitious personas' to contact and harass the person into maintaining an unwanted sexual relationship.
This included an alleged threat of self-harm.
Brooks allegedly intended to cause 'physical or mental harm to the victim', with police accusing him of 'arousing apprehension or fear in the victim for his or her safety or the safety of another person'.
Anthony Brooks, 33, was charged with child abuse material offences
Brooks, who was charged with using a carriage service to menace, also allegedly opened a Gmail account in 2023, which was a breach of the reporting conditions of his status as a registered offender.
It is alleged that Brooks did not inform police of the Gmail account.
Brooks was charged in November last year and placed on police bail, which he has already allegedly breached.
During his academic career, Brooks was able to gain entry and subsequently complete an arts degree at the University of Melbourne.
He even managed to make the Dean's Honours List in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Brooks also received the university's 2026 Neville Bonner Memorial Scholarship, and it was reported in March this year that he was a 'current history honours student'.
On April 29 this year - about a month after the Melbourne University scholarship was reported - Brooks was again charged with transmitting child abuse material.
A charge sheet seen by the Daily Mail indicates that one of Brooks' charges relates to failing to comply with reporting obligations as a 'registrable offender'. However, the Daily Mail cannot report details of his prior offending for legal reasons.
Brooks obtained a University of Melbourne Arts degree with honours (stock image)
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It is understood that Brooks arrived in Melbourne about the time that an interstate conditional release order ended in February 2023.
It was also in February 2023 when Brooks, of Docklands, was suspected of commencing his alleged stalking campaign and about this time when he commenced his studies at the University of Melbourne.
The Daily Mail put a series of questions to the university, including whether it knew that Brooks was a registered offender, but the institution declined to answer.
We also asked what protocols the university had in place to monitor sex offenders to ensure that they remain compliant and to maintain the safety and wellbeing of staff and students, but the university did not respond.
Another question the university did not answer was whether Brooks would have been allowed to enrol in the bachelor's program had they been aware he was a sex offender.
'We have legally binding confidentiality and privacy obligations that prevent us from confirming any details relating to past or present University staff, students, prospective students or other individuals,' a University of Melbourne spokesperson said in a statement to the Daily Mail.
A University of Melbourne spokesperson declined to comment on Brooks
The university also provided a general response regarding the safety and wellbeing of its students and staff, which the institution said was 'paramount'.
'Any experience of assault, sexual assault and sexual harassment within our university community is unacceptable,' the spokesperson said.
'We remain steadfast in upholding our commitments to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct and gender-based violence within our University community, and have robust systems and supports in place for our students and staff.
'Any student with concerns about their safety at university should contact our Safer Community Program.'
Brooks had his bail extended to next face court on August 21.