Girls Who Raised the Alarm about Paedophile Teacher Were Reprimanded, Royal Commission Hears

By Rachel Browne
Sydney Morning Herald
October 14, 2014

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/girls-who-raised-the-alarm-about-paedophile-teacher-were-reprimanded-royal-commission-hears-20141014-115q3d.html

Three student whistleblowers who reported their teacher for touching a younger girl in a sexual way were reprimanded by a senior staff member for the "dangers and implications" of their stories, a royal commission has heard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was told three girls aged 11 and 12 raised concerns about teacher Kenneth Sandilands with Northside Christian College staff in 1987.

Sandilands, 69, was jailed in 2000 for sexual offences committed at Northside Christian College in the 1980s and was last month sentenced to a further 26 months in prison for sexual offences committed at another school in the 1970s.

Denis Smith, the then head of Northside Christian Centre, which ran the school, asked assistant pastor Keith Ingram to investigate the claims, despite him having no educational qualifications or teaching experience.

The commission heard that Mr Ingram found the "incident spoken of was largely embellished by the girls" and they were to be given a "firm lecture as to the dangers and implications of their stories".

In his report of the incident, read out at the commission, Mr Ingram said that having a child from a composite grade 1/2 class on a teacher's knee "would be quite normal in a teaching situation".

The commission heard that the Melbourne college's then principal Neil Rookes and a teacher found an element of "sincerity and concern" in the reporting, but Mr Smith accepted Mr Ingram's report.

At the time of the girls' complaint, Sandilands had already received a warning about inappropriately touching young children, the commission has heard.

The commission was told that following the 1987 allegations, Sandilands was given a series of guidelines which forbade him from touching children.

Mr Smith told the commission Sandilands breached the "spirit of the guidelines" later that year and was admonished but not sacked.

Despite numerous allegations of sexual abuse against Sandilands during his time at the school, he was permitted to resign in 1992 on the grounds of his poor eyesight. The commission has previously heard that Mr Smith discussed the "potential financial benefits" that might be available if Sandilands left teaching.

The Northside Christian Centre, now known as Encompass Church, is affiliated with Australia's Pentecostal movement.

The public hearing is examining the response of Australian Christian Churches and affiliated Pentecostal churches to allegations of child sexual abuse.

The hearing before Justice Jennifer Coate continues.