Multiple alleged attacks on Trinity Grammar students but no report to police: Royal Commission

The deputy headmaster of Trinity Grammar School was told a student's underpants had been torn off and older boys had attempted to rape him but did not believe the allegation warranted a report to police, a royal commission has heard.

Trinity Grammar deputy headmaster Peter Green told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse he believed the year 9 student had just been "rumbled" by other boarders at the school.

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

The inquiry has heard a number of boarders were allegedly attacked by students wielding wooden dildos at the school in 2000 and some boys were allegedly assaulted on up to 50 occasions.

Mr Green told the commission he was made aware of an allegation that a student, CLB, had been held down by other boys who simulated sex with him in August 2000.

"The alarm bells were going off for me in terms of, we've got to makes sure this is a safe boarding house ... but insofar as it was alarm bells that this was something that needed to be reported to police or DOCS, it didn't go off in my head," he said.

"[The boarding house] was - well, except for these things - a very caring place."

He agreed in evidence that the alleged activity was "a major problem" but "I did not see it as something that I needed to report to police".

Mr Green told the inquiry he did not report the claims made by student CLB in 2000 to the police because he did not believe it was a sexual assault.

Royal commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan. Photo: Jeremy Piper

The commission heard Mr Green underwent a child protection investigators' course in 2007.

"As I spoke to [CLB] ... I did not end up perceiving that this was an attempted rape," he said.

"In hindsight, things would have gone differently. In 2007, after the training and so on, there would have been a phone call to the police."

Mr Green agreed in evidence he "could have done better in that situation".

The inquiry into sexual abuse committed by students in schools continues before Justice Peter McClellan.

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
• Survivors & Mates Support Network 1800 472 676