Former Student's Life "Destroyed" by "Horrible" Sexual Abuse, Inquiry Told
By Nicole Chettle
A former student at Sydney's Knox Grammar School has told a royal commission that sexual abuse had "destroyed a lot of [his] life" and that he was traumatised by the sight of the current and former headmasters at the inquiry. The royal commission into child sexual abuse has been examining reports of abuse of students at the school from the 1970s through to 2003. The man, who the ABC will not identify, told the hearing in Sydney that he was abused in 2003, when he was in year six, by Craig Treloar, who was later sentenced to 4.5 years jail for indecent assault. The man said he had made several suicide attempts, and went from being a promising student to a troubled teenager who was unable to concentrate in class. He cried as he spoke of his joy when he joined the school in 2002. "I was proud to wear the uniform that so many older students I looked up to and knew were wearing," he said. "I really enjoyed Knox at first. I was doing well in class, had lots of friends, participated well in all school activities such as drama and sport." The former student said Treloar befriended him and offered ginger beer in his classroom, before one day assaulting him there after "blacking out" the windows. "He made his classroom very dark, which was something all my friends were talking about," he said. "Apparently he was doing it for some sort of special effect, but I don't remember what the effect was." The man described the terror he experienced and said he was left with blood in his underwear. When he fled, crying, he said another teacher asked what was wrong and did not pursue him when he ran away. "The abuse I witnessed and suffered at Knox was horrible," he said. "It destroyed my chance at a normal education and I believe it has destroyed a lot of my life so far. "It has forced me to leave school before graduating because whenever I spent time at school I was reminded of what happened to me at Knox." The man told the commission he was admitted to hospital last week, after being traumatised when he saw the current headmaster, Dr John Weeks, and his predecessor, Dr Ian Paterson, at the hearing. Witness backs indecent assault claim against ex-headmaster Earlier, another former Knox Grammar School student told the commission he witnessed former headmaster Dr Ian Paterson inappropriately touch a girl during a school musical rehearsal in 1989. Lucy Perry told the inquiry on Tuesday that Dr Paterson touched her buttocks and placed his hand near her genitals, on the outside of her costume. On Wednesday, Dr Paterson denied groping Ms Perry, who is now the chief executive of the women's health charity Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. However, this morning the boy she was partnered with for the show, known as AUE, told the inquiry he had a clear view of the incident from the floor of the school's assembly hall. "Dr Paterson hit her on the buttocks but I wouldn't call it a pat because his hand stayed there," AUE said. "It was a prolonged hit, more of a grope. "Lucy had to almost jump out of his grasp and she turned and she gave a small scream of surprise. "And then I noticed that Dr Paterson had a grin on his face." AUE said other students were also aware of the incident. "Some of the boys laughed," AUE said. "I don't think they all did. I don't think that the laughter was in full support of Dr Paterson, I think it was more nervous." Counsel assisting David Lloyd asked AUE what he meant by that. "Based on embarrassment. It's hard for me to put a sweeping generalisation over everybody but some people laughed and some people didn't," AUE said. AUE described the boys' response as "a cheer, easily audible" and said the incident annoyed and upset him at the time. "When I heard Lucy provide her evidence it was in line with my recollection of what happened," AUE said. "When she was cross-examined by the barrister who said she was lying it upset me and I needed to corroborate her story." During evidence, solicitor Jim Harrowell suggested AUE's recollection of the incident was wrong. "This event just didn't happen. At most ... Dr Paterson may have been seeking to direct a performer around the stage," he said. AUE responded: "Your suggestion is just not correct. It is not my recollection at all." The school's former director of music, Brian Buggy, was involved in the musical production and told the commission he did not see any inappropriate behaviour from Dr Paterson. "Never, ever have I seen him touch anybody inappropriately in Guys and Dolls or any of the 23 musicals I worked with him on," he said. "It would have been the gossip around the school." Dr Ian Paterson is expected to give further evidence at the royal commission on Friday.
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