Sky News presenter apologises after Paris Street angrily condemns use of the phrase ‘hit on’ to describe predatory behaviour

This article is more than 6 months old

This article is more than 6 months old

A former student of St Kevin’s College who was sexually groomed by his athletics coach has angrily condemned Andrew Bolt and Gerard Henderson’s characterisation of the crime, saying their comments made him “sick”.

Bolt and Henderson, who have both now apologised for the comments, were critical of a Four Corners report about the school and its handling of the incident in a segment on Tuesday that drew the ire of child protection advocates.

Bolt used of the phrase “hit on” to describe the former coach Peter Kehoe’s predatory behaviour towards the then year nine student Paris Street, while Henderson remarked the school’s handling of the case was “not [terrible] at all”.

Child protection groups condemn Andrew Bolt for saying convicted St Kevin's groomer 'hit on' victim Read more

Bolt said Kehoe “hit on a boy at that school – no sex occurred”.

Street posted a lengthy rebuke of the Sky News segment on Facebook on Thursday.

“Please, both of you, build some common decency and human courtesy into what is required in relation to sexual abuse,” Street posted on Facebook. “Especially if you are to make public comments about it.

“Gerard Henderson and Andrew Bolt, how would you feel if someone acted the way Peter Kehoe did towards me, towards children of your own? Would your comments be any different?

“Reflect on the comments you have made and never make them again in the future. They make me sick.”

Street told the Four Corners journalist Louise Milligan on Monday’s program he was repeatedly exposed to offensive comments by Kehoe, who was convicted in 2015 for grooming. Street said he was then let down by the headmaster Stephen Russell, who wrote a character reference for the offender.

Street accused Bolt and Henderson of “trivialising” and “minimising” his experience, before describing in graphic terms what “hitting on” him actually meant.

“I was invited to jump into a 59 year olds bed,” Street said. “I was invited to lick the pre-cum off that same 59 year olds penis. The Facebook messages he sent me. I was fifteen. He was convicted of grooming me. For your own knowledge, (it clearly needs enhancement), please refer to the relevant legislation of what grooming actually is.

“Speaking of facts Gerard, you said, and I quote: ‘I can understand the victims annoyance after the event but if you look at the hard facts of the case and you consider the time when this occurred…’ Well, this occurred alongside a royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.

“I was a victim of child sexual abuse. St Kevin’s is an institution. Please refer to the findings of that royal commission because this might enhance your knowledge (and hopefully some understanding) of the pain and suffering that victims endure from not being supported.”

Street also factchecked some of Bolt and Henderson’s claims, including why he returned to the school after the trial, Kehoe’s sentence, the dates of the reference and Henderson’s claim that Kehoe had a clean record before this incident.

Bolt is a supporter of the convicted paeodophile George Pell. In an editorial on Wednesday’s Bolt Report he addressed what he called the “malicious” attacks on him by the ABC.

Bolt said that he supported Pell because he believed his friend was innocent. He repeated his belief that Four Corners misrepresented the Kehoe case.

“The principal has now been forced to resign,” Bolt said. “Well done you.

“Nowhere did I say or imply that in some way this disgusting behaviour was a small matter,” he said. “Don’t be fooled by their outrage. This is not about what I said last night … This is an excuse for them, this is a weapon.”

Hours after Street’s Facebook post Bolt apologised on the Bolt Report for using the term “hit on”.

“I’m really sorry to you Paris,” he said after telling viewers about Street’s post.

“I’m really sorry. I regret it. I spend every hour since thinking about it and I hate what happened. I wrote a book with the title Still Not Sorry and I am sorry.”

Henderson has also apologised to Street, saying his criticism was aimed at Four Corners and not at the victim himself.

“Initially I should state that I had no intention of upsetting a victim of child sexual assault – of whom I know several,” Henderson told Guardian Australia. “I am very sorry for upsetting Paris Street – obviously a fine young man – with respect to my comments on The Bolt Report on Tuesday.

“By way of background, the fact is that my comments essentially were directed at Louise Milligan’s Four Corners program Boys Club and I made little reference to Paris Street in response to the questions I received.”



