Student saw Ian Paterson grope teenage girl at Knox, Royal Commission hears

By Rachel Browne
Sydney Morning Herald
March 05, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/student-saw-ian-paterson-grope-teenage-girl-at-knox-royal-commission-hears-20150305-13vo6x.html

Former Knox headmaster Ian Paterson leaves the royal commission after giving evidence on his failure to protect the boys in his care. Photo by Christopher Pearce

Lucy Perry earlier told the royal commission she was horrified when Knox students cheered after she was groped by former headmaster Ian Paterson in 1989. Photo by Louise Kennerley

A former Knox Grammar School student witnessed the school's then headmaster Ian Paterson allegedly grope a 15-year-old girl during rehearsals for a musical, a royal commission heard.

The former student, known as AUE, backed up evidence from former Roseville College student Lucy Perry.

Ms Perry told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that Dr Paterson touched her on the bottom and genitals during rehearsals for the musical Guys and Dolls in 1989.

The student came forward to the commission after hearing evidence from Ms Perry, now the chief executive of a global women's health charity.

AUE said he clearly remembered seeing the incident while he was seated on the floor, facing the stage.

"Lucy had to almost jump out of his grasp and she turned – and she gave a small scream of surprise," he said. "Then I noticed that Dr Paterson had a grin on his face."

He told the commission that some of the boys laughed but suggested it may have been from nerves, rather than out of support for the headmaster.

"At the time it annoyed me and upset me," he said.

Under cross-examination by Dr Paterson's solicitor, Jim Harrowell, AUE said he did not report the incident at the time.

"The avenue to report it was to go to Dr Paterson but . . . that's difficult when he's the perpetrator," he said.

The Wahroonga school's former director of music, Brian Buggy, told the commission that he was present at the rehearsals but did not witness the alleged assault.

"Never, ever have I seen (Dr Paterson) touch anybody inappropriately," he said.

"It would have been totally out of character for him . . . (there) would have been gossip around the school."

Dr Paterson has previously denied touching Ms Perry in evidence.

The former headmaster, who ran the school between 1969 and 1998, has been recalled to give evidence to the commission. 

An appearance by retired supreme court judge and former chairman of the school council Morris Ireland has been delayed after counsel assisting David Lloyd raised concerns about his medical fitness to give evidence.

Mr Lloyd apologised for inadvertently naming a teacher whose name has been suppressed. Geoffrey Watson QC, who is appearing for Knox Grammar, also apologised for breaching a suppression order on the names of two former students, both of whom are deceased.

The hearing, before Justice Jennifer Coate, continues.