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'Dead' teacher denies abuse claims
By Shane Cowlishaw
The partner of an alleged child abuser says the allegations are false and they are happy to give evidence to prove it. Ronald Thomas, 77, who taught in Tasmania in the late 1960s, has been found living in the Manawatu hamlet of Tangimoana, more than four decades after he evaded arrest and quit Australia. He retired after teaching in New Zealand for three decades, The Australian newspaper reported. At Thomas' home, obscured by trees and with all curtains drawn, a man who said he was his partner answered the door. He said Thomas was home, but would not be commenting to the media because he had been misquoted by The Australian. Thomas was happy to give evidence to an Australian commission and did not want to comment publicly to preserve the integrity of the investigation, the man said. The couple had been together about six years, he said, and the news of the allegations made at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse had come as a surprise. "It's is shocking, it came all of a sudden," he said. Asked if he had ever discussed any such allegations with Thomas, the man said "no, because the matter was settled there, there was nothing against him, so nobody would be thinking about these things". Neighbours of Thomas were reluctant to be named, but said "Ron" had been part of the community for decades. "We don't have much to do with him - probably see him once or twice a year at the barbecue down the road," a neighbour said. Another neighbour said he believed Thomas had travelled back to Australia several times, so it was strange authorities there thought he was dead. Immediate neighbour Paul Harris said he had always thought Thomas was a "bit weird", but harmless. Thomas' wife had died several years ago, but only a few neighbours including himself had attended the funeral. He had never known any family to visit Thomas, which he said was strange. "We always knew he was a bit different but this comes as a bit of a surprise," Harris said. The Australian royal commission was told Thomas habitually and violently abused boys when he was a young music teacher at Hobart's elite Hutchins School in the late 1960s. Police had given evidence he confessed to child abuse in 1970, but fled to South Africa days before he could be arrested, ending the investigation. The commission later named Thomas, because it considered he had died. Tasmanian police said information about Thomas would be investigated, along with other recent leads. "Tasmania police has received six referrals from the royal commission in recent weeks, and they are subject to investigation," he said. "The information contained in the 'The Australian' newspaper article, 10 December 2014, will be considered in liaison between Tasmania police and the royal commission." The commission said it "is considering the information that has become available". A New Zealand Teachers' Council spokeswoman said Thomas was first registered to teach in 1990 when mandatory teacher registration was introduced. He might have been teaching before that but would not have required a registration, she said. "When he was granted a registration he passed a police check and he was granted a registration," the spokeswoman said. "At the time our police vetting process was less comprehensive than it is now - we only checked for convictions. "These days we have more checks in place and our system is much more robust to ensure the safety of every child being taught in New Zealand." The last time Thomas held a registration was in 2002, at which point he called the council to tell them he was retiring, she said. The council did not receive any complaints about Thomas during the 12 years he was registered, she said. New Zealand police said it did not comment on individuals due to privacy and legal reasons. Tracked down by The Australian, a few days ago at Tangimoana, near Bulls, Thomas rejected allegations, made in sworn evidence to the commission, of sexual abuse levelled by two former students of the Anglican boys' school. He said he had not made any confession or admission to police when interviewed in 1970, and there was never any question he would be arrested. He did not flee to South Africa, but left Australia for a job in Western Samoa at the end of the 1970 school year, he said. A witness whose name was suppressed told the commission he was repeatedly sexually abused by several teachers, including Thomas, while a student at Hutchins in the mid to late-1960s. "While I was playing the piano, he [Thomas] would grab my penis and would often rub himself up against me," the witness told the commission. Another witness told a similar story. Both reported psychological damage as a result. When The Australian provided their witness statements to Thomas, he insisted there was "no truth" in them. He criticised the commission for failing to find him, assuming he was dead, and for naming him. Police at the time of the investigation said Thomas and another teacher were "likely to be arrested" but when he returned to "formally arrest" them they had fled overseas. The Hutchins School board chairman David Morris yesterday reiterated the school's apology. Hutchins' board recently apologised for abuse it admitted occurred in the 1960s. "The Hutchins School board restates its sincere and wholehearted apology to any and all Hutchins old boys who have been sexually abused," it said. " Child sexual abuse is an abhorrent crime. The Hutchins School will continue to cooperate fully with and assist the royal commission." Tangimoana, which has a population of about 300, It has a small primary school catering for students aged 5 to 13, while a bus service takes secondary school students 30 kilometres to Palmerston North on weekdays. Tangimoana has few facilities or employment opportunities. It is best known for its spy base.
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