A former Avondale College teacher indecently assaulted four schoolboys in his class, despite one boy having previously complained to the school about his thigh being touched.
English-born Julian George Thorne, aged 34, yesterday pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault in the Auckland District Court.
Thorne began teaching at Avondale College last December and this year started touching four boys in his class while crouching or sitting beside them to help with their school work.
While he initially rubbed only their shoulders, backs, faces and necks, by the third term he had progressed to touching their legs, thighs and genitals. On several occasions, Thorne also groped one boy in the school's corridors.
Avondale College acting principal Warren Peat confirmed that Thorne was spoken to in July after one boy complained to his parents about having his thigh rubbed.
"[Thorne] acknowledged that he was a touching sort of person, but that it could be characterised in a positive frame.
"There was a denial that anything inappropriate had happened and his assurances were accepted at that stage," Mr Peat said.
The students in his classes were all told to come forward if they had any concerns, but Thorne was not monitored because other teachers were present in the tutorial classes where the offences were being committed.
"The surreptitious nature of what Julian was doing was hidden from everyone. That's been the most concerning thing for all of us, that he would have had the audacity to attempt to get away with this stuff even while other staff were [close] ."
Mr Peat said there was also a high level of professional trust among staff and Thorne's references had been thoroughly checked.
"On the surface he gave no indication that there would be a concern of him being able to live a double life. It's blown us all away."
Students in Thorne's classes have been offered support and counselling, and a trauma and abuse team from West Auckland was offering support also, Mr Peat said.
New Zealand School Trustees Association president Chris France was not willing to specifically comment on Avondale College's handling of the case, but said if procedures were being followed there was only so much schools could do to catch such people.
"There are so many variables. So many cases ... come out of nowhere after an awful long time and there's no prior history," Mr France said.
"We work hard with schools to encourage good policy practice and good procedure to ensure that the likelihood of these things is as limited as possible."
Mr France said schools also tried to protect students by teaching them about inappropriate behaviour in sex education classes.
When spoken to by police, Thorne said he knew what he did was wrong, but he could not control himself.
Thorne was remanded in custody by Judge Simon Lockhart, QC, to be sentenced next week.
Teacher admits touching boys under his care
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