James Parker let boys sleep with him during sleepovers at his home and in his tent during school camps. Photo / ONE News
James Parker let boys sleep with him during sleepovers at his home and in his tent during school camps. Photo / ONE News
More children have come forward with complaints against a teacher who this week admitted 49 charges of sexually abusing pupils of a school in the Far North, the school's commissioner says.
Pamapuria School commissioner Larry Forbes, who was appointed this month, said since James Parker's identity was revealed on Wednesdaymore children have come forward.
"I'm not aware of how many or where they've come from, but I understand there have been more and I understand there's a strong possibility that there are more to come. But numbers I don't know."
The police investigation was ongoing and Mr Forbes said he understood it could continue for a while.
"The expectation is there could be others who will come forward or who need to be given the opportunity to come forward.
Reports this week that previous concerns about Parker were ignored will be investigated, but "there's no evidence available at the moment to suggest one way or the other if those allegations are correct or incorrect or somewhere in the middle."
Mr Forbes said the allegations needed to be investigated in a measured way rather than with a knee-jerk response.
Police could not be reached for an update.
Timeline of events
* In 2009 Parker was investigated by police, Child Youth and Family and the Ministry of Education which resulted in police writing to the school to warn he should not be allowed to have any more pupils stay at his home.
* Most of the charges against him related to offences since 2009.
* Last month he was arrested for sexually abusing pupils at Pamapuria School where he was teacher and deputy principal.
* On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to 49 charges of indecently assaulting boys aged 11 to 13.
