Witnesses differ on Knox grope claim

Sky News
March 05, 2015

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2015/03/05/witnesses-differ-on-knox-grope-claim.html

A royal commission has heard conflicting evidence about whether former Knox Grammar headmaster Ian Paterson groped a schoolgirl during a musical rehearsal at the school.

One witness AUE, a former student at the school who was in the Guys and Dolls musical with Lucy Perry in 1989, said he saw Ian Paterson, grope her.

He said the assault happened as Ms Perry, then known as Lucy Schaffler, walked off the stage.

'As she completed her walk, when she turned around Dr Paterson hit her on the buttocks but I would not call it a pat, because his hand stayed there', he said.

Brian Buggy, who was musical director at the school and who handled the orchestra in that production said he never saw it happen.

'It would have been out of character for him and would have been, you know, the gossip around the school', Mr Buggy, who is now musical director of the Sydney orchestra, said.

AUE said he saw Lucy jump out of Dr Paterson's grasp and give a small scream of surprise.

He said some of the boys laughed ' I don't think that the laughter was in full support of Dr Paterson, I think it was more nervous'.

Mr Buggy was at Knox between 1975 and 2008 and said he would have been at musical rehearsals every day.

At full dress rehearsals he would have been upstage looking at the actors.

Mr Buggy said he had never seen Dr Paterson touch anyone inappropriately 'in Guys and Dolls or any of the 23 musicals I worked with him on'.

In reply to David Lloyd, counsel assisting the commission he said there were times when his eyes weren't on the stage.