School ‘had no idea’ worker was standing trial for sex abuse

A Wellington primary school’s leaders want answers after they were kept in the dark about a sex offender working in their midst.

Vicente Ceballes, 48, was found guilty earlier this year of an indecent act by touching a girl’s breast while he was babysitting her.

Wellington District Court judge Denys Barry on Friday jailed him for six months and ordered that the principal of the school be told of the offending. His job at the school ended when he was sentenced, and the principal and board were informed of his crime.

The board of trustees chairman of the school, which cannot be identified due to a suppression order made by a judge, said Ceballes had been hired in 2013.

The school only learned on Friday afternoon he had been facing criminal charges.’’

‘‘We had no idea he was facing charges. We only found out after the court hearing today.’’

The chairman said they would be working with police and the Education Ministry to find out why the school had not been informed.

Ceballes’ offending occurred a year after he was hired.

‘‘I wake fromnightmares about what might happen to [her] and I worry about retaliation and revenge.’’ Victim’s mother

The judge said Ceballes had been looking after the three children of a poverty-stricken solo mother who was working at a retirement home in June 2014.

He had spent the day making inappropriate comments to the then 11-year-old girl, then touched her breast over her clothing remarking that she would soon need a bra. Then he offered her $2 for her silence.

The girl told a friend who told others, leading to the girl being bullied at school, shouted at and called a prostitute.

The judge said while the bullying could not be laid directly at Ceballes’ door, the effect on the family had been profound.

The girl’s mother’s victim impact statement was read out in court.

‘‘I wake from nightmares about what might happen to [her] and I worry about retaliation and revenge,’’ she said.

She said her daughter now wanted to leave school and to move away.

The judge said Ceballes took no responsibility and displayed no remorse and continued to blame the mother for what he called slander and lies. He said a probation report expressed disquiet that Ceballes was still working at a school and had not disclosed his offending which happened in 2014.

‘‘He could not understand why the probation officer had serious safety concerns with him continuing his employment there since he continues to deny the offending,’’ the judge said.

The school board chairman said the school ordered police checks on all staff, including teachers and support workers such as cleaners.

Employment contracts clearly stated that anyone who had charges laid against them was required to disclose them.

He said the school would be reviewing its processes, wondering if they should now be re-checking people’s records during their employment.

It would also be seeking answers from the agencies who knew about the offending.

‘‘We would have expected the school to be informed. There is quite a lot of onus on us to protect our children.’’

The school’s next step would be to get officials’ advice on how to check whether there any more victims at the school.