Former Knox Headmaster Ian Paterson Attempts to Re-write History: Royal Commission

By Rachel Browne
Social Affairs Reporter
March 6, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-knox-headmaster-ian-paterson-attempts-to-rewrite-history-royal-commission-20150306-13x756.html

The 81-year-old former head expressed surprise that his system had let students down. Photo: Daniel Munoz

The motto of Knox Grammar School is the Latin phrase, "Virile Agitur", translated as "Do the Manly Thing" but Ian Paterson looked anything but heroic as he slipped out of the royal commission via the car park on Friday.

Ignoring the media and former students of the private school, his eyes were mostly downcast and his mouth tightly shut.

The former headmaster of 1969-1998 has been a central figure at the public hearing by Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

On Friday he dramatically recanted evidence given earlier in the week, in which he admitted misleading a police officer, hindering her investigation into child sexual abuse and covering up potential litigation by a victim.

Under questioning from his own lawyer, Jim Harrowell, Dr Paterson also denied knowing about the extent of the abuse, which the commission has heard involved up to eight teachers, five of whom were convicted of sex crimes against students.

The 81-year-old blamed his failure on his "lack of knowledge" of the crimes and expressed surprise that his system had let students down.

"For the other thousands of Knox students, I believe I had in place an outstanding system of pastoral care which catered directly to their satisfactory welfare," he said.

"That this system failed to reveal the victims of abuse is extraordinary, given so many likely outlets for help."

Among his suggested outlets were teachers and housemasters, roles performed by the five convicted staff members: Craig Treloar, Adrian John Nisbett, Barrie Stewart, Roger James and Damien Vance.

Although both James and Vance were asked to leave the school after suspicions were raised about their character, they were given glowing references by Dr Paterson, who also provided kind words for another teacher, Christopher Fotis, who was moved on after being arrested for masturbating outside a different school.

Treloar was allowed to continue teaching at the school despite Dr Paterson acknowledging that he watched a pornographic film with a boy. Nisbett was shifted from a boarding house after Dr Paterson became aware he was touching boys but later moved into a different house on school grounds.

Dr Paterson never reported any of the men to police. He told the commission he could not recall being told about mandatory reporting laws introduced in 1988 which require teachers to report suspicions of sexual abuse.

Besides, he told the commission, he was not aware that it was a crime for a teacher to grope and proposition a student.

He described Treloar's pornography actions as a "silly mistake" and dismissed one of Vance's victims as a "drama boy" prone to exaggeration. When the teenager told Dr Paterson that Vance had indecently assaulted him underneath the Knox chapel, the headmaster told him to go away and think about what he'd said.

Teachers, especially those who had been old boys at the school, were routinely employed without background checks during his time, he told the commission.

The royal commission has the power to refer matters raised during public hearings to the police. Outside the commission, a number of former students questioned whether Dr Paterson could face criminal charges.

Current headmaster John Weeks said Dr Paterson's name would be removed from the school's Centre for Business and Ethics Studies. Similarly, a plaque to commemorate another accused teacher, Bruce Barratt, has been taken off the school gates. Its inscription, 'He touched us all' was a source of disgust to one of his victims.

Old boys have also questioned whether Dr Paterson will be stripped of his Order of Australia, with a spokeswoman from the Governor-General's office saying the matter would be considered if brought to their attention.

After 10 days of evidence that laid out the raw anger and suffering of those abused at the school, old boys are trying to pick up the pieces.

The president of the Old Knox Grammarians Association, Mark B. Wilson, wrote to 10,000 members last week offering support.

"Distressed and angry as we may be, the bonds and strength of kinship amongst Old Boys should not be allowed to fray," he wrote.

"Though respect for the dignity of others may have been forgotten by those staff who abused children, and by those who covered for them, it is an obligation which Old Boys should hold dear. We must stay strong in support of fellow Old Boys in times of need."