Knox Grammar Teacher Suspected of Hiding under Boy's Bed with Balaclava, Sexually Assaulting Him

By Nicole Chettle
ABC News
February 26, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-26/knox-grammar-teacher-hid-under-bed-as-boy-slept/6265444

PHOTO: The commission is examining evidence of sexual abuse at Knox Grammar School from the 1970s. (Google Maps)

A former teacher at the prestigious Knox Grammar School in Sydney was suspected of hiding under a boy's bed and inappropriately touching him, the royal commission into child sexual abuse has heard.

The commission heard details of the alleged assault, which was said to have occured in the late 1980s, from Dr Timothy Hawkes, who was a former Knox Grammar boarding house master and is now the current headmaster at Kings School at Parramatta.

Dr Hawkes said he was alerted to what became known as the "balaclava man" incident when he responded to what was believed to be an intruder about 5:00am.

"This was just a bizarre, extraordinary and extremely worrying and even frightening event," Dr Hawkes told the hearing.

The teenager, known as ARN, had allegedly been assaulted as he slept.

"[ARN] told me that a man in a balaclava had run his hand on the inside of his leg and up towards his genitals," Dr Hawkes said.

"He had woken with a start, a shout, and that the man had run off."

Dr Hawkes said he believed the boy when he was told about the incident and immediately alerted the headmaster, Doctor Ian Paterson.

"We needed action to be taken because we had somebody running around the school with or without a balaclava, sexually interfering with boys," Dr Hawkes said.

Dr Hawkes told the hearing he did not report the matter to the police because the school hierarchy meant that it would have become the responsibility of the headmaster or his assistant, who was a recently retired police officer.

"I didn't believe it was my place to do that," Dr Hawkes said.

PHOTO: The commission heard details of the alleged assault, which was said to have occured in the late 1980s, from Dr Timothy Hawkes. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

"I had every confidence that the matter would be dealt with by a very experienced headmaster.

"There was absolutely no question in my mind that I fully expected the police to be notified because it was a serious offence. And I was desperate to make sure that this person was caught because I did not want that happening again to any of my boys."

Dr Hawkes reacted angrily to a question from counsel assisting that suggested his priority was to protect the school's reputation.

"I would totally reject that comment and find it offensive," Dr Hawkes said.

"I had particularly no motivation to have, to in a sense, protect the school. That would never cross my mind and to suggest so I find utterly offensive."

In the months after the assault, Dr Hawkes said some students suspected two of his colleagues.

"There was increased speculation that the intruder may well have been somebody inside," Dr Hawkes said.

"There were two that were talked about in equal degrees of likelihood and those were Mr Fotis and Mr Vance."

A warrant was issued for the arrest of former Knox Grammar teacher Christopher Fotis, who failed to appear at the hearing on Tuesday.

In his opening statement, Counsel Assisting David Lloyd revealed Damien Vance was later convicted of one count of category four sexual assault and released on a good behaviour bond.

The pain and suffering caused to these young men is devastating and I weep for them

Robert Thomas, former head of Knox

Mr Lloyd said on Monday that "although the person's face was concealed by a balaclava, a number of the boys in the dormitory believed that the offender was Christopher Fotis, one of the resident masters in MacNeil House at the time".

"The basis of that belief was that the offender had the same build as Mr Fotis and Mr Fotis had, before lights out on the evening before the assault, said to ARN that he had a surprise in store for him that night," Mr Lloyd said.

Mr Fotis later resigned from the school "after being arrested for masturbating in his car while parked outside a school", Mr Lloyd said on Monday.

A former head of Knox, Robert Thomas, who gave evidence, also apologised to the victims of child sexual abuse at the school.

Mr Thomas told the commission that the school was his life's work and he was proud to be part of the Knox Grammar community but was deeply saddened by the abuse that occurred there.

"The pain and suffering caused to these young men is devastating and I weep for them," Mr Thomas said.

"The Knox Community is a wonderfully caring group of citizens which displays all the values in life which we should cherish.

"It was my passion, my life's work and I was so proud to be part of such a special family.

"Despite the despair I feel today it pales into total insignificance compared to the anguish of these young men.

"And for that I am so deeply sorry."