Principal of St Kevin's 'regrets' writing reference for convicted child sex offender

Updated

A top Catholic school accused of a culture of cover-up has received reports of alleged inappropriate behaviour by several current teachers.

Key points: St Kevin's headmaster Stephen Russell says he "regrets" writing a character reference for a coach who groomed a student.

The school has been notified of several claims of inappropriate behaviour by current teachers

The school withheld and redacted a student victim's counselling session notes, some of which contained his criticisms of the school's response

St Kevin's College in Melbourne has gone into damage control after a Four Corners investigation revealed its headmaster and dean of sport provided references for now-convicted child sex offender Peter Kehoe, but did not support the victim, Paris Street, during the court process.

Late on Monday night, after the program was broadcast, headmaster Stephen Russell issued a statement to parents saying: "In the same circumstances today, I would not provide a reference. I sincerely regret that I did so."

"Prior to his reprehensible actions in 2014, Mr Kehoe had no prior charges, or any student or parent complaint of a sexual misconduct nature. He had made a contribution over 35 years.

"I was considering the interests of Paris Street as the victim of abhorrent conduct, and providing information to the Court for sentencing purposes only."

Numerous current and former staff, students and parents from St Kevin's College have told Four Corners the school has a history of failing to adequately deal with complaints of inappropriate behaviour.

Four Corners can now reveal that those complaints involve an allegation of sexual harassment and also concerns raised by staff members about potential grooming and inappropriate behaviour towards boys.

The governing body overseeing the college, Edmund Rice Education Australia, is investigating one complaint by a teacher who alleges he was sexually harassed by a senior colleague.

"His actions not only shocked and disgusted me, but they made me feel powerless and worried about my job and future prospects, should I make a formal complaint," the complaint said.

The complaint was written last May, but St Kevin's never responded in writing and only contacted the teacher in December when it began interviewing staff for the investigation.

Mr Russell told parents: "The teacher concerned specifically requested that no action be taken and we confirmed this in writing. We said that if he wanted it pursued further in future, to come and meet with us again."

However, the Independent Education Union told Four Corners the teacher did not receive a response to his complaint in writing.

Deb James, general secretary from the Victorian branch of the Independent Education Union, said that response was disappointing.

"I don't think it's good enough that you receive a written complaint in May and there's effectively no resolution to the issue and that the member who has made the complaint is not communicated with again about the matters they've raised," she said.

"These things should be taken seriously, and staff need to feel that the employers and senior staff leadership in their workplace is prepared to listen to them and act on what is being told to them."

The same senior teacher has also flouted the school code of conduct that bans staff from posting photographs of students online or contacting the boys via social media.

Former St Kevin's student Finley Tobin told Four Corners he received an unsolicited message from the teacher after midnight one evening during his year 12 exams.

The message said: "I do hope that your new room is all very satisfactory and that you've enjoyed being in it for to-night [sic]."

Mr Tobin said it was surprising.

"That could have been a normal comment to make if it were during the day, or in person, but over Facebook message at about midnight seemed a bit odd," he said.

The teacher has denied any wrongdoing.

But it is not just code of conduct breaches.

Staff members at St Kevin's have also made more complaints about two further male teachers.

In those cases, the staff were worried the teachers were potentially grooming boys.

One whistleblower is now alleging school management pressured her not to take it further.

St Kevin's College declined to answer questions regarding complaints about current teachers.

In his statement to parents after Monday night's program, Mr Russell said: "In regards to complaints about two staff, the college is following due process in accordance with fairness and compliance. I can assure you from a child safety perspective, no child is at risk. From a natural justice perspective, we are obliged to await the outcome and not judge."

School redacted counselling session notes involving student victim

Four Corners revealed on Monday that then-Year 9 student Paris Street was groomed by former athletics coach Peter Kehoe. Kehoe sent sexually suggestive messages and made offensive comments to Paris Street.

In 2015, current headmaster Stephen Russell wrote a character reference for Kehoe, and dean of sport at the College Luke Travers gave character evidence for Kehoe at the trial.

In the statement provided to parents on Monday night, Mr Russell said "the conduct of Luke Travers in 2015 was absolutely unacceptable".

"Mr Travers acted in an individual capacity when he attend Mr Kehoe's trial. He did so without the college's knowledge or consent.

"In this regard, the college took formal steps in response to Mr Travers' conduct."

When Paris Street returned to St Kevin's after a brief spell at another school, he was told he'd need to meet with Mr Travers.

The meeting was documented by a school psychologist, who quoted Mr Travers as having said that he would continue to stay in contact with Kehoe despite his conviction.

"As a friend, I did not want him to be convicted," the notes recorded Mr Travers saying.

"I felt obliged to support him."

When asked what he first thought of the incident, Mr Travers is quoted as having said, "storm in a teacup".

Paris later took legal action against the school.

But when his lawyer, Judy Courtin, attempted to get notes from St Kevin's College recording Paris's meetings with the psychologist, she said she hit a brick wall.

Dr Courtin said it took her "months and months" to receive the medical records which documented the meetings.

"We were gobsmacked, because they were highly redacted, even though they were our own client's records," Dr Courtin told Four Corners.

Eventually, she got full copies and could see that among the initial redactions was the meeting with the dean of sport.

The College had also left out several pages, including one talking about the St Kevin's leadership.

It read that Paris: "Feels that they had the power to do a great deal and chose to protect the school ahead of (Paris's) wellbeing."

Mr Russell told parents in a statement that the redactions were made in accordance with a "usual provision in the legislation to protect the privacy of others".

"When it became a court matter, the full versions without any deletions were given to his [Paris's] lawyers.

Dr Courtin said she was shocked.

"It's another example of trying to protect themselves, trying to protect the name of St Kevin's College," she said.

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Paris told Four Corners the school's handling of the case led him to "spiral" mentally.

"Mum would drive me to school in the morning. Driving on the Boulevard, and then you'd see the big cross on the chapel that overlooks the Yarra," he said.

"I'd see that, and I'd just get triggered and would have a panic attack.

"I wouldn't want to go to sleep at night because I wouldn't want to get up in the morning to go to school."

Headmaster Stephen Russell declined to be interviewed.

In a statement to parents, Mr Russell said: "In 2019 I met with Paris, we shook hands and I apologised to him and reminded him again that he continues to be welcome at St Kevin's."

The Catholic education network Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) said in a statement: "Stephen Russell enjoys the confidence of EREA as the leader of St Kevin's College."

Watch the full investigation on ABC iview.

Topics: private-schools, schools, religious-schools, university-and-further-education, catholic, melbourne-3000, richmond-3121, toorak-3142

First posted