No explanation for not reporting abuse

Sky News
February 19, 2014

http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=951631

A former Catholic school principal has no explanation for failing to report serious child sex abuse allegations to police, an inquiry has heard.

Terence Hayes did not report complaints against pedophile teacher Gerard Byrnes, who molested and raped 13 girls in 2007 and 2008.

But that was despite knowing about new Queensland laws which made it compulsory to report child sex abuse allegations to police or child protection agencies.

Giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Wednesday, Mr Hayes was asked if he had any explanation for failing to take the matter to police.

'No,' he replied under cross-examination from the Catholic diocese counsel Jane Needham SC.

Mr Hayes was first told about sex abuse allegations against Byrnes in September 2007.

One month later he received a fact sheet from the diocese informing him of his reporting obligations as principal, he admitted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Hayes said he believed Byrnes was a danger to the safety of students up to a year before his arrest.

He admitted failing to report the full extent of the allegations to his superiors, or police, was grossly incompetent.

Counsel Assisting Andrew Naylor SC also asked Mr Hayes if, by omitting the allegation that Byrnes 'had put his hands up their skirts', he had given the teacher the benefit of the doubt.

'Yes, yes,' Mr Hayes replied.

The hearing continues.