Bolt has decided to be a cheerleader to yet another convicted sexual abuser.

Andrew Bolt has waded into another child sexual abuse case, this time saying that a 15-year-old boy who was groomed by a sexual predator was just being “hit on”.

Apparently not content with being a cheerleader for just one sexual abuser, Bolt made the comments while talking about the St Kevin’s College scandal with The Australian columnist Gerard Henderson

The case of St Kevin’s has hit the headlines after a Four Corners report on Sunday night, which looked into how a coach at the private boys school groomed a 15-year-old student. The report revealed that the Principal and Dean of Sport both gave the coach character references after his conviction, but provided no support to the student.

Andrew Bolt on St Kevin's revelations by @Milliganreports He just hit on him

There was NO SEX

How terrible was giving a character reference really Henderson: NOT AT ALL

A terrible pile on Where is the compassion for the child?#Auspol #BoycottMurdoch #paedophileapologist pic.twitter.com/9Ms4d1UW6z — 💧 Sleeping Giants Oz 📣 (@slpng_giants_oz) February 18, 2020

The pair spent most of the time defending the principal, who this morning resigned. But listeners were outraged to hear how Bolt painted Peter Kehoe, the man who groomed the student.

“Here we have an ex-teacher, he’s a volunteer coach. He gets a St Kevin’s boy, hits on him, no sex involved, but is convicted of grooming,” Bolt said.

To clarify, the offence of grooming involves predatory conduct designed to escalate into sexual activity with a child.

Under Victoria’s criminal code, “many perpetrators of sexual offences against children purposely create relationships with victims, their families or carers in order to create a situation where abuse could occur”.

Merely “hit on” ?? If the abuse had gone unreported it is likely that sex-offender Kehoe would have made a move on the boy. Bolt and Henderson are grubs defending the indefensible with no apparent concern for the child. — Ngaire Watson (@Sulcus_Gyrus) February 19, 2020

Of all the culture wars hills to die on, I honestly didn’t think anyone would want to plonk their flag on the one marked “defending the rights of predatory pedophiles re: schoolchildren”, but once again conservative Australia has surprised me. — Andrew P Street (@AndrewPStreet) February 18, 2020

Simply unbelievable. This wasn’t two men in a bar where one was “hitting on” another man, this was a 15yr old school boy under the care of an ex teacher from his school, entrusted to coach him. Yes, a boy, a school boy under the care of an adult. Disgusting from Bolt & Henderson — Sharoken (@sharon_kendrew) February 18, 2020

As a representative of child sexual abuse survivors this makes me feel ill. And I mean physically. How do these people have a platform — Michael Tiyce (@MichaelTiyce) February 18, 2020

Somehow, Bolt has interpreted the ABC’s coverage of sexual abuse (with both this case, and the case of George Pell) as an attack on Catholic institutions.

Bolt is still a fierce defender of Cardinal George Pell, who was jailed over historic child sex offences last year. Former Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard were both criticised for providing character references for Pell after his conviction.

Pell himself also provided a character reference for another notorious paedophile priest Gerard Risdale. Pell’s case is currently under appeal at the High Court.