Royal Commission: Child Abuse Allegedly Covered up by Geelong Grammar for Decades

ABC
October 22, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4336713.htm

ELEANOR HALL: One of Australia's most prestigious schools is back in the spotlight today over allegations it covered up sexual abuse at the school for decades.

A former headmaster at the Geelong Grammar School's Highton Campus has taken the stand at the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

Jessica Longbottom has been following the proceedings and she joins us now.

Jessica, former students who've alleged they were harmed have been waiting on the evidence of this former headmaster. What are the key allegations against him?

JESSICA LONGBOTTOM: Well Eleanor, at previous hearings we've heard that abuse flourished at Geelong Grammar in the 80s and 90s when at least two paedophiles were operating at the school.

And it was when Robert Bugg, who was the headmaster of the school's Highton campus from 1981 to 1993, when he was in charge it was when one of the worst paedophiles was operating.

Phillipe Trutmann worked in the boarding house at the campus. He went on to be convicted of abusing 41 boys over 10 years, from 1985.

And one of the saddest things about that is that the commission has heard evidence that victims made complaints about Trutmann to senior staff very early on in the piece and he wasn't investigated.

A former student gave evidence he informed Highton headmaster Robert Bugg he was abused in the early 90s. He was then expelled, he says, because he told other students about the abuse, and we've heard evidence that Robert Bugg played a part in that decision.

So he's appearing today to answer those allegations.

ELEANOR HALL: So what did he say in his testimony today?

JESSICA LONGBOTTOM: Well he says he has no recollection of the complaint being raised or this student being expelled.

And that's in stark contradiction to what other senior staff have said before the commission and what other students have said.

Here's one of the exchanges he had with counsel assisting the royal commission, David Lloyd.

DAVID LLOYD: Is this the position - you just don't remember that matter coming to your attention?

ROBERT BUGG: My answer is I have no recollection.

DAVID LLOYD: Are you in a position where you can say to this commission with any certainty that that matter wasn't brought to your attention?

ROBERT BUGG: No, I can't say that either.

DAVID LLOYD: You don't remember it being brought to your attention, but do you accept it's possible that it was?

ROBERT BUGG: Well that's a hypothetical question, and I'm not too sure I have a clear answer for you, I'm sorry.

JESSICA LONGBOTTOM: That was Robert Bugg, the former headmaster of the Geelong Grammar School's Highton campus.

He's also said that he thought Phillipe Trutmann was of good character, up until the time he was charged by police, which was long after he'd left the school.

So, a frustrating day for victims of Phillipe Trutmann today, I think, with no clear admissions from Robert Bugg.

ELEANOR HALL: He's the former headmaster of Geelong Grammar School, but the hearings come as there have been some explosive revelations about sex abuse at another Melbourne school. What can you tell us about that?

JESSICA LONGBOTTOM: Yes Eleanor. Scotch College is a prestigious school in Melbourne's east. It sent a letter to students revealing the extent of sex abuse that it knows about at the school.

Now Scotch is quite interesting in that it got on the front foot earlier this year by asking former students to come forward if they'd been affected by sexual abuse.

So now it says, as a result of that, 69 former students have contacted the school to report historical cases of abuse and 31 of those were reports of sexual abuse.

Now these incidents all occurred some 20 years ago or longer, and the ABC understands the staff members who have been implicated are now deceased.

ELEANOR HALL: Jessica Longbottom, thank you.

That's Jessica, our reporter covering the royal commission hearings into child sexual abuse.