Warning: This article discusses sexual assault.
Police have begun investigating historical allegations of sexual offending at exclusive private school King’s College in Auckland.
Officers from Counties Manukau are investigating a number of complaints against a former teacher and rugby coach at the school in Ōtāhuhu, while he was employed between 1988 and 1994.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mal Hassall said investigators had already spoken with several former students regarding this behaviour.
However, police believe there are more victims who have not yet reported their concerns or experiences and are urging them to come forward.
“We are now appealing for anyone who may have been a victim of this individual, or has any information which will assist our investigation, to please get in touch.”
Hassall said police were also mindful of the privacy of the victims identified to date.
“Our investigation team has been ensuring welfare is in place for those we have been speaking to and we will continue to ensure there is appropriate support available moving forward.”
Hassall said police were working closely with King’s College on this matter.
“We are continuing to liaise with the school to assess these reports and we thank them for their support thus far as we advance this police investigation.”
Shan Wilson, the chair of the King’s College board of governors, said the school supports the initiative of police opening a centralised investigation and providing a clear contact point for any former student of the college who experienced harm from a former teacher at the college.
”The college appreciates the opportunity to work collaboratively with the police on these matters to the extent deemed appropriate,” Wilson said.
”In recent weeks, we have been encouraging former students to come forward and we thank those who have done so to date.”
One victim told the Herald: “I am pleased they are actioning this and recommend others who feel this has affected them to come forward also. I have met with the school and am so far pleased with how they have handled the situation.”
In September, the top Auckland private school called for any former students who experienced or witnessed harm by former teacher and convicted child abuser Paul Dodd to come forward, promising support and co-operation in any police investigation that might unfold.
The former housemaster and rugby coach was sentenced in Britain this year to four years in prison for molesting boys at an elite English school after earlier escaping a prison term.
The 64-year-old history teacher was given a harsher penalty for sex crimes against three boys aged 10 to 12 when he taught at the prestigious Whitgift School in South London in the 1980s.
He then moved to New Zealand where he taught at King’s College.
In September, Wilson said the school had only recently become aware the former teacher had been convicted and sentenced to prison for historical sexual abuse in Britain.
“King’s College encourages any former students who have experienced or witnessed harm by Mr Dodd at the college to come forward to our headmaster Simon Lamb and or the police,” Wilson said.
“King’s College will support and co-operate with any police investigation that may be commenced.”
She said King’s viewed the allegations very seriously after it had learned of the indecent assault of young students.
“King’s wishes to assure its former students that its door is open if they have experienced any such harm from Mr Dodd while at the college.”
In 1994, it emerged the elite Croydon school’s headmaster, who has since died, had provided Dodd with a glowing reference which helped land him a job at the upmarket Auckland school.
A 60 Minutes documentary also examined Dodd taking up a new role in New Zealand while being accused of indecently assaulting a pupil at his previous school.
A subsequent Broadcasting Standards Authority complaint taken against TVNZ by King’s College, which was partially upheld, revealed former headmaster John Taylor knew there was an allegation but the investigation had not finished when he employed Dodd.
He also maintained Dodd was not on Britain’s banned teacher list when he was given a job at King’s College.
Dodd taught at the college from 1988 to 1994.
The appeal for information then shone the spotlight on a second former King’s teacher accused of “highly inappropriate” behaviour.
Wilson told parents they had been told of allegations of incidents in the early 1990s involving another former male teacher who they were unable to name.
She said the board was “deeply saddened” about the events that allegedly occurred at the school three decades ago.
”The current King’s College board of governors believes the school failed at that time in its duty of care to these students and their families. We regret the impact on those students.
“For that, we sincerely apologise to all former students and their families. It is every student’s right to be safe, and feel safe, at school.”
Wilson specified the new allegations were not related to convicted sexual abuser Peter Liddell, the previous school counsellor who was convicted and twice jailed for sexual offending which spanned two decades and included more than 17 charges against mostly boys and teenagers when he worked at the school.
Anyone who would like to speak to police is invited to come to their local police station or to contact us via our 105 service, says Detective Senior Sergeant Hassall.
People can call 105 or report the incident online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105, using Update My Report, referencing file number 231017/1444. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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