AUSTRALIA
Courier Mail
[with video]
Gerard Byrnes child sex abuse: Principal backed despite inaction, victim’s family tell of impact
ANTHONY GOUGH THE COURIER-MAIL FEBRUARY 22, 2014
A BRISBANE principal insists his colleague “followed the process of the Catholic Education Office”, despite failing to call police and report allegations of sexual abuse.
The principal of St Eugene Catholic College in Burpengary — where former Toowoomba principal Terence Hayes now works as a teacher — has launched a robust defence of his colleague in a letter to parents.
Mr Hayes has faced scrutiny this week in the royal commission into sexual abuse over his failure to report allegations to police made to him when principal at a Toowoomba school.
The royal commission has heard evidence Mr Hayes was required to call police over the allegations, and his decision to simply report to the Catholic Education Office did not meet protocol.
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