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Former Knox Grammar head Ian Paterson led cover up of abuse, Royal Commission hears
By Rachel Browne And Melanie Kembrey
Knox Grammar School was Ian Paterson's "life and empire" and the former headmaster told the royal commission he would go to great lengths to protect its reputation. On Wednesday he admitted he tried to cover up potential litigation against the school, misled a police officer investigating child abuse allegations and hindered her inquiry into claims against six teachers. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard Inspector Beth Cullen spoke to Dr Paterson about the six teachers in 1996. At the time three of the teachers under suspicion were still working at the Wahroonga school. Dr Paterson admitted to the commission he did not provide the officer with any information about sexual molestation claims but referred her to their staff files, in full knowledge they did not contain records of abuse. Under questioning by counsel assisting, David Lloyd, Dr Paterson agreed that he deliberately misled Inspector Cullen and hindered the investigation but said he could not remember why. "I can't recall why I did not reveal to Inspector Cullen my information about those teachers," he said. He agreed it appeared he was trying to protect the teachers but when asked by Mr Lloyd whether he also wanted to maintain the school's reputation he replied: "I can't recall." Under cross examination by Geoffrey Watson QC, representing the school, Dr Paterson admitted to concealing abuse allegations from the school council to keep up appearances. "I had no thought of my own reputation, only for the school's," he said. He admitted he attempted to cover up potential legal action by a former student known as ATJ, a victim of "notorious groper" Barrie Stewart. Dr Paterson told the commission that he allowed Stewart to continue teaching very young boys despite knowing he was an accused sex abuser. The 81-year-old, who ran Knox for almost three decades, admitted in evidence that he was putting young boys at risk and this was an "unacceptable failure" on his part. When asked by Mr Lloyd whether he could have prevented boys from being abused under his watch, he agreed he could have. "If you had done more to . . . make investigations into allegations of child sexual abuse that it is quite likely that a number of boys under your care would not have been abused," Mr Lloyd said. "Correct," Dr Paterson replied. The commission heard Dr Paterson knew Roger James was "too close" to students in 1975 and he was aware of allegations about Adrian John Nisbett, Craig Treloar, Christopher Fotis and Damien Vance in the 1980s. In 1992 he learned of the allegations about Stewart and another teacher Bob James, the commission heard. He told Mr Watson that while he was aware of the concerns: "I did not see the potential for or actual child abuse". Dr Paterson also suggested that Nisbett's touching of students may have been accidental. Nisbett, Treloar, Stewart, Roger James and Vance were convicted over the offences against boys at Knox. There is a warrant for the arrest of Christopher Fotis for failing to appear at the royal commission. Dr Paterson will continue giving evidence at the hearing, before Justice Jennifer Coate, on Thursday. What Ian Paterson knew and when, according to evidence before the royal commission1975: Paterson writes to Roger James telling him he cannot go on camp with boys. In evidence he said it was because James was "too close" to them. 1986: Learns of inappropriate behaviour by Adrian John Nisbett. 1987: Craig Treloar admits to watching pornography with a student, but does not mention sexual activity with the boy. 1988: Formed the view that the so-called balaclava man who sexually assaulted a boy in a boarding house may have been teacher Christopher Fotis. 1989: Learns that Damien Vance has indecently assaulted a student; discovers that Fotis has been arrested for masturbating outside a school. Both are allowed to resign. 1992: Learns of allegations that Barrie Stewart molested a student; discovers another student has formed a sexual relationship with a teacher, Bob James. 1996: Anonymous information about sexual abuse involving six teachers at the school provided to NSW Police and an inspector from the Child Protection Enforcement Agency attends the school to speak with Dr Paterson. He does not tell the officer what he knows about the teachers and refers her to their staff files which do not contain information about sexual abuse. 1998: Paterson retires as headmaster. 2009: Five teachers arrested over sexually abusing students and later convicted.
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