Knox Principal Gave Sex-crime Teacher Glowing Reference

By Dan Box
The Australian
April 29, 2015

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/knox-principal-gave-sex-crime-teacher-glowing-reference/story-fngburq5-1227325563837&memtype=anonymous

A former teacher suspected of being the Knox Grammar School “Balaclava Man” was given a positive reference by the headmaster after being caught masturbating in public, and went on to work in other schools.

Christopher Fotis gave evidence yesterday at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse after being arrested for failing to appear at a hearing in February.

Yesterday, he denied receiving a summons to appear at the time. Asked why he did not want to give evidence before the commission, Mr Fotis said: “I’m a private person. This is a very public hearing and I suppose if there is any ­reason, it comes down to that.”

He said he was employed at Knox in 1987 without being asked for references or whether he had a criminal record. Evidence before the commission suggests he did have a criminal record, for offensive behaviour, at the time.