The Star: September 20, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday September 20 2018 5
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
St Bede’s College inquiry steps up
Board of
trustees
meets over
allegation
AN INVESTIGATION is under
way into why a teacher was
allowed to continue working at
St Bede’s College after sexual
abuse allegations surfaced
against him.
In spite of confessing to
sexually abusing Peter Boock
in the 1960s, former St Bede’s
teacher Robin Pettit was allowed
to continue
teaching at the
college until
retiring in
2015.
An
Education
Council
spokeswoman
Justin Boyle
said yesterday
it had “received
a complaint about the matter
recently and we are in the early
stages of an investigation”, but
would not comment further.
Mr Boock’s concerns
regarding the school’s reaction in
light of the abuse being revealed
was considered at a meeting of
the St Bede’s board of trustees
on Monday, reported Radio New
Zealand.
A St Bede’s spokeswoman told
The Star yesterday the college
was unable to comment due to
the matter being investigated by
the Education Council.
Mr Boock told St Bede’s rector
Justin Boyle of the abuse in 2011,
and is calling for Mr Boyle’s
resignation over his inaction in
light of the claims.
Mr Boock said he had hoped
for an admission by Mr Boyle of
a “profound error of judgement”,
and that the board of trustees
would have acted on that.
“Mr Boyle enabled a selfconfessed
child sex abuser to
keep teaching boys at the school.
That is indefensible,” Mr Boock
said. Mr Boock told the Otago
Daily Times earlier this month
that Mr Pettit had abused him in
Dunedin over a period of about
nine months between 1967 and
1968.
Mr Boock was 13 at the time,
while Mr Pettit was a 19-year-old
student.
While Mr Boock revealed
details of the historic offending
to Mr Boyle in
2011, Mr Pettit
was allowed to
remain at the
college for four
more years.
The decision
was defended by
Mr Boyle, who
maintained the Peter Boock
proper process
had been followed and accepted
by Mr Boock at the time.
The Network of Survivors
of Abuse in Faith-based
Institutions and their supporters
are also calling for Mr Boyle to
resign over his handling of the
allegations.
Group spokesman Murray
Heasley said it was “untenable
for Mr Boyle to continue in
his duties” after he enabled the
confessed “child sex offender to
continue teaching students.”
in brief
City council reviews
its dangerous
buildings policy
The city council is reviewing
its Dangerous and Insanitary
Buildings Policy. Key changes
include all provisions relating
to earthquake-prone buildings
have been removed as they
are now exclusively in the
Buildings Act. It also includes
policy provisions covering
‘affected buildings,’ which
are buildings that pose a
risk to users or passers-by
because of the proximity to
a dangerous or insanitary
building. To read the full draft
plan, go to www.ccc.govt.nz/
the-council/consultationsand-submissions/haveyoursay/
show/161
Christchurch artists
in Rockquest final
tomorrow
Christ’s College band The
Subs, Haeata Community
Campus duo PJ and Evile and
Hagley Community College’s
Rongomai Callaghan will
be performing in Smokefree
Rockquest and Tangata Beats
national final tomorrow.
The event at Auckland Girls’
Grammar’s Dorothy Winstone
Centre from 7pm.
Do you have doubts your
earthquake repairs have
been done properly?
Remember. Create.
Don’t leave it until it’s too late.
Sign up with us for a free foundation report.
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