Alleged abuse victim told he 'bore some blame' for bullying, royal commission hears

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

The King's School headmaster Tim Hawkes told the parents of a student who suffered an alleged indecent assault on a camp that the boy "bore some of the blame" for subsequent bullying, a royal commission has heard.

Royal commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan. Photo: Jeremy Piper

A police officer advised the school to make a formal police report about the alleged assault but the school failed to do so, according to evidence to be presented to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

In his opening address, counsel assisting the commission David Lloyd told the hearing The King's School student, given the pseudonym CLC, was on a camp in April 2013 when another student allegedly ejaculated on his sleeping bag.

The main school entrance of Trinity Grammar. Photo: Julian Andrews

Mr Lloyd told the hearing that the teenage boy was bullied by other students and called "cum rag" and "cum dumpster". The inquiry heard a student changed the name of a Wi-Fi network at the school to "CLC's a cum rag".

The commission was told CLC did not report the alleged incident to the school because that would "make the situation worse".

CLC disclosed the alleged abuse to his father, EAE, in August 2013, the inquiry heard, and the school commenced an investigation.

Mr Lloyd told the inquiry that King's deputy headmaster Andrew Parry sought advice from a police officer, Senior Constable Robert Paterson, and was told in an email: "The incident/s should be reported to police so that the exact offence can be determined."

The King's School headmaster Tim Hawkes outside the royal commission in 2015. Photo: Daniel Munoz

Evidence before the commission is that: "There was no contact between the school and the police in response to the email ... No report was made to police in response to that email, as recommended."

Mr Lloyd told the inquiry that EAE met Dr Hawkes to discuss the allegation in October 2013.

"EAE will give evidence that, during that meeting, Dr Hawkes said that CLC bore some of the blame and responsibility for the bullying because he did not report the camp incident when it occurred," Mr Lloyd said.

The commission heard police investigated the King's School in 2014 to determine whether anyone had concealed an offence but no charges were brought.

Dr Hawkes, Dr Parry, EAE and CLC have been called to give evidence to the two-week inquiry into alleged sexual abuse committed by students in both public and private schools.

The hearing will also examine a series of alleged sexual assaults at the Summer Hill school Trinity Grammar in 2000.

The inquiry heard a number of students were attacked by boys wielding dildos they made in their wood work class. The implements were given nick names such as "the anaconda, the excalibur, the dagger and the school house bat," Mr Lloyd told the hearing.

The commission heard the school became aware of the allegations in August 2000 but did not inform police and the Department of Family and Community Services for almost a month. Parents were not informed until October that year, the inquiry was told.

Allegations about sexual behaviour between students at three public primary schools will be examined in a private hearing for legal reasons.

The hearing before Justice Peter McClellan continues.

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