Former Knox headmaster Ian Paterson attempts to re-write history: Royal Commission

AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

March 6, 2015

Rachel Browne
Social Affairs Reporter

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.

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