Knox Grammar School was home to 'large paedophile cohort', victim tells inquiry

By Ashleigh Raper And Antonette Collins
ABC News
February 24, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-24/knox-grammar-royal-commission-hears-child-abuse-rife-at-school/6247698

The royal commission heard students were openly abused at Knox Grammar School for more than 30 years.

A former student of a Sydney private school says students were sexually abused so often, he was not sure it was wrong when he was assaulted by a teacher in the playground.

Former Knox Grammar student Scott Ashton told the royal commission into child sexual abuse of the shock, shame and confusion he suffered after being abused at the school in the 1980s.

He said it was clear the school harboured "a large paedophile cohort" and the abuse led to him becoming a sex worker as teenager.

Students were abused at the exclusive boys school, on Sydney's north shore, over a 33-year period from the 1970s until 2003.

Mr Ashton told the second day of the inquiry into the school it was common for teachers to inappropriately touch students, and he was touched in the playground in view of another teacher.

"I was appalled, confused and distressed," Mr Ashton said.

"The entire episode was completely open and brazen and occurred in the playground in front of the entire school community.

"What especially confused me was that it seemed open and normal in the context of the Knox environment.

"It was so common I wasn't sure it was wrong for teachers to touch me like that."

Mr Ashton said, in 1986, an acquaintance invited him to a sex party where he was paid for sex work, and which was attended by about 10 Knox Grammar teachers and some students.

He said a few of the teachers in attendance were later convicted of child sex offences.

Five former teachers were convicted, but the commission has been told the problem was worse than first thought.

The royal commission also heard a former teacher and boarding master from Knox Grammar, Damien Vance, was given references after being dismissed for indecently assaulting one of the students.

Vance taught at the school in the 1980s.

He was later convicted of indecent assault but was released on a good behaviour bond.

Vance was asked to leave the school in 1989, two years after the indecent assault took place.

He told the commission he was summonsed to a meeting with the then headmaster Dr Ian Patterson.

"He mentioned that some parents would be coming down on Saturday, and that it would be in your best interests not to be here," he said.

"I put two and two together and made 22."

Vance said he was given 72 hours to leave the school, but moved out that day.

He said he was in no doubt that he was effectively sacked over the indecent assault, but Vance wrote a resignation letter the following day with no mention of the incident.

Vance then secured further teaching employment after receiving a statement of service, and eventually a reference letter from Dr Patterson.

"I felt I needed a statement of service to cover a big blank in the CV," he said.

"I didn't expect to receive a reference."

He continued to work as a teacher until his arrest in 2009.

Earlier another witness known as ASG detailed his abuse at the hands of Vance and another perpetrator, Craig Treloar.

"There were times when I was asleep in my bed when Treloar and Vance would come wake me up to take me back to their room," he said.

Allegations that three other Knox staff members abused students were heard on Monday.

The commission also heard there was evidence the school knew about abuse but never told police, and the alleged perpetrators have not faced criminal proceedings.

Knox Grammar School's lawyer, Geoffrey Watson SC, asked to speak before any of the witnesses on Monday.

He said that the school conceded what happened was disturbing and damaging.

"There is no excuse," Geoffrey Watson SC said.

"The school owed a primary responsibility to those students, and to those parents, to keep them safe from this sort of thing.

"The school humbly and sincerely apologises for its failure."

Outside the commission, former student Scott Ashton said it was a forced apology.

Adrian Steer, who gave evidence of his abuse while being a student at Knox, also dismissed the school's acknowledgement of its failure.

"I don't believe it was an apology," he said.

"It came from a lawyer, it didn't come from the school themselves. I would like the school to stand up and take responsibility for exactly what's happened."

The hearing continues.