'Dead' teacher accused of child abuse found alive in Manawatu

The Dominion Post
December 10, 2014

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/64017321/Dead-teacher-accused-of-child-abuse-found-alive-in-Manawatu

A teacher accused of abusing boys he taught in Tasmania in the late 1960s, has been found living in the Manawatu more than four decades after he evaded arrest and quit Australia.

Ronald Thomas, 77, has retired after teaching in New Zealand for four decades, The Australian newspaper reported.

The New Zealand Teachers' Council confirmed he had taught here, and was seeking his file.

New Zealand police were also investigating whether he had been the subject of complaints.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse was told he habitually and violently abused boys when he was a young music teacher at Hobart's elite Hutchins School in the late 1960s.

Police had given evidence he confessed to child abuse in 1970, but fled to South Africa days before he could be arrested, ending the investigation.

The commission later named Thomas, as it considered he had died.

Tracked down near Bulls by The Australian, Thomas rejected allegations, made in sworn evidence to the commission, of sexual abuse levelled by two former students of the Anglican boys' school.

He said he had not made any confession or admission to police when interviewed in 1970, and there was never any question he would be arrested.

He did not flee to South Africa, but left Australia for a job in Western Samoa, at the end of the 1970 school year, he said.

A witness whose name was suppressed told the commission he was repeatedly sexually abused by several teachers, including Thomas, while a student at Hutchins in the mid to late 1960s.

"While I was playing the piano, he (Mr Thomas) would grab my penis and would often rub himself up against me," the witness told the commission.

Another witness told a similar story. Both reported psychological damage as a result. 

A New Zealand Teachers' Council spokeswoman said he was first registered to teach in 1990 when mandatory teacher registration was introduced.

He may have been teaching before that but would not have required a registration, she said.

"When he was granted a registration he passed a police check and he was granted a registration.

"At the time our police vetting process was less comprehensive it is now - we only checked for convictions.

"These days we have more checks in place and our system is much more robust to ensure the safety of every child being taught in New Zealand."

The last time Thomas held a registration was in 2002, at which point he called the council to tell them he was retiring, she said.

The council did not receive any complaints about Thomas during the 12 years he was registered, she said.

When The Australian provided Thomas their witness statements he insisted there was "no truth" in them.

He criticised the commission for failing to find him, assuming he was dead and for naming him.

Police at the time of the investigator said Thomas and another teacher were "likely to be arrested" but when he returned to "formally arrest" them they had fled overseas.

Hutchins' current board recently apologised for abuse it admitted occurred in the 1960s.

Thomas is living near Tangimoana, which has a population of about 300.

It has a small primary school catering for students aged five to 13. A bus service takes secondary school students 30km into Palmerston North on week days.

Tangimoana has few facilities or employment opportunities. It is best known for its spy base.