November 11 2020 | Seven men had been charged after an investigation into alleged historical sexual offending at Dilworth School. Video / New Zealand Police / File
A 74-year-old man has become the latest former Dilworth staffer to plead guilty to sexual abuse while employed at the Auckland boarding school.
The teacher, who continues to have interim name suppression, was arrested in 2020 as part of Operation Beverly, a long-running investigation into historical sexual abuse at the boys' only school.
He was initially charged with four counts involving three men who told police they were indecently assaulted by the defendant between 1980 and 1981. All of the victims were under the age of 16 at the time. More accusers, however, have since come forward.
Appearing via audio-visual feed today in the High Court at Auckland, he pleaded guilty through lawyer Justin Harder to 11 charges - nine counts of indecency between man and boy and two counts of indecent assault on a boy under 12.
The charges carry a maximum possible punishment of either seven or 10 years' imprisonment. Crown prosecutor Jacob Barry indicated today that he will be seeking a prison sentence.
Justice Ian Gault accepted the pleas and set a tentative sentencing date for later this year.
The charges the defendant pleaded guilty to today included incidents that occurred after his employment at Dilworth. His victims ranged in age from eight or nine to 15, court documents state.
When police confronted him with the accusations, he denied any offending, according to an agreed summary of facts provided to the Herald today.
"None of the complainants suffered physical injuries however the psychological impact has been immense," the documents state. "The psychological damage for many has been irreparable.
"Details will be outlined in the victim impact statements prepared for sentencing."
At least 30 people have been accused of historic sexual abuse at Dilworth in the years since Operation Beverly was launched, including 14 allegations of "student on student" offending, police have previously revealed to the Herald. More than 150 men have made allegations.
Not all of the allegations have resulted in arrests. For instance, nine suspects died before the investigation began. But 11 former staff members, ranging from tutors to a priest, have been arrested so far. Three of them have died.
The allegations span five decades, from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
Dilworth School in Epsom, Auckland is at the centre of allegations of historical sexual abuse. Photo / Dean Purcell
Prior to today's guilty pleas, the defendant had been set to go to trial later this month.
He now joins several other Dilworth defendants who have pleaded guilty in recent months.
Former chaplain Ross Douglas Browne - described by his victims as a monster disguised as a Santa Claus-like mentor - was sentenced to six and a half years' prison in January after admitting he abused students from 1987 to 2002.
Former tutor Johnathan Stephens was sentenced to six months' home detention last month after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault against two boys under the age of 16 in 1971.
Also last month, former housemaster Ian Robert Wilson was sentenced to three years and seven months' prison for the indecent assaults of five students between 1975 and 1992.
Former assistant housemaster Alister Grant Harlow, who was involved in Dilworth's former Scouts group, is set to be sentenced next month after admitting in February to three representative charges of child abuse during the 1980s and 1990s.
