Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon to start building new government, Seymour says Act owes Kiwis big time, after its election result and Netanyahu has vowed to "demolish Hamas", after deadly attack. Video / NZ Herald
A second former King’s College teacher is facing allegations of “highly inappropriate” behaviour, which comes as the school deals with accusations against another former teacher who has been jailed for molestation in the UK.
In an email to the school’s past pupils, King’s College’s board of governors chairwoman said “several” former students have approached the school with allegations of abuse and voyeurism involving Paul Dodd, recently jailed for four years in the UK.
A third ex-staff member, Peter Liddell, 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 was a counsellor at the school.
On the most recent allegations, chairwoman Shan Wilson said in a statement: “We have also been told of allegations of highly inappropriate incidents in the early 1990s involving another former male teacher who we are unable to name.”
“Our current board is deeply saddened about these 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.”
Wilson said: “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.”
King's College in Ōtāhuhu, Auckland. Photo / King's College
Wilson specified the new allegations were not related to convicted sexual abuser Liddell, the previous school counsellor.
King’s College has told police it has asked for former students to come forward with any information.
“In respect of Mr Dodd, we are also taking advice whether there are any actions we may be able to initiate as a school to support former students raising past abuse by him with the authorities in New Zealand and the UK,” Wilson said.
The school was working with Child Matters, a sexual abuse education organisation, and has asked it to conduct a review of the school’s practices.
King’s College asked any former students to come forward with allegations last month: “We are again asking anyone who has knowledge of inappropriate behaviour by any King’s staff member, from 1988-1994 or at any time before or after this period, to come forward.
“We invite them to contact, in the strictest confidence, our current headmaster Simon Lamb at s.lamb@kingscollege.school.nz or 09 276 0600.”
Sixty-four-year-old history teacher and rugby coach Dodd was last month handed down a 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.
Paul Dodd was given a four-year prison sentence for abusing boys at a UK school in the 1980s. Dodd had also worked at King's College in Auckland.
Photo / Metropolitan Police
Two months ago, the convicted paedophile was given a two-year suspended sentence for child cruelty and indecent assault but that was overturned and now he is behind bars serving the first week of a four-year stretch in prison.
Dodd, who shifted to New Zealand in 1988 and eventually became a housemaster at King’s College after he was sacked from the English private school where pupils are charged $90,000-a-year boarding fees and peacocks strut around the lush grounds, admitted to the historical abuse in April.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of child cruelty and two of indecent assault.
The abuse happened in changing sheds and on school trips and included forcing young boys to strip naked, staring at them and touching their genitals.
At the time, Wilson said the school had only recently become aware the former teacher had been convicted and sentenced to prison for historical sexual abuse in the UK.
“King’s College will support and cooperate with any police investigation that may be commenced,” she said
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
