Teacher’s sex abuse ‘swept under carpet’

30 years later, college says it would deal with any such case very differently today

Inappropriate sexual behaviour by a teacher with a group of students at a prestigious Christchurch boys’ school was “brushed under the carpet” and not passed on to police.

The teacher was dismissed and it later emerged he had earlier sexually abused some boys in Australia — and used “unqualified” references to get his job at Christ’s College in the 1980s.

Now, more than 30 years on, the school has spoken out about the “regrettable” decision not to take action — saying there “is no question” the welfare of students would come before “its own reputational interests” if a similar situation arose now.

And it has vowed to refer any new complaint about the sex offender to police immediately.

In February 2013 Lindsay William Hutchinson was convicted of 15 charges of repeatedly sexually abusing a student in the 1980s. Then 63, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison and must serve 10 years.

He is eligible for parole in 2023. In the 1990s he was convicted of molesting a male student in Adelaide.

The Herald can reveal that between his offending in Perth and Adelaide he was employed as a music teacher at Christ’s College.

Board of governors chair Hugh Lindo confirmed Hutchinson was employed for 18 months from 1985 to 1987 and had used “unqualified references” from the school and diocese in Perth to get the job.

“He was dismissed when [Christ’s College] became aware of inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature by him involving a group of boys who were involved in rowing,” said Lindo. “College did conduct an investigation and took legal advice.”

It was decided there was insufficient evidence to involve the police.

“With the benefit of hindsight, Hutchinson’s behaviour should have been reported to the police — and the police left to determine if there was sufficient evidence or not.”

Police contacted the school in 1997 after hearing from Australian police investigating Hutchinson.

Since the 80s no more complaints have been received about him.

“If an old boy came forward with a complaint then we would refer it to the police, apologise and offer the survivor support,” said Lindo.

When Hutchinson left Christ’s College he was not given any references.

The Herald was contacted about Hutchinson after a former Christ’s College student, James Goodwin, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care that he was sexually assaulted by older students as part of a “hauling” tradition.

The commission heard teachers were aware of the abusive culture when Goodwin was a boarder in 1970 — but did nothing to stop it.

Of Hutchinson, a former student said: “Christ’s swept it under the carpet and we were horrified when the story broke in Australia 25 years later . . . Christ’s never reported him and he reoffended in a very bad way.”

Lindo said as a result of Goodwin’s testimony he and current executive principal Garth Wynne wrote to all former students they could.

“Regrettably, we cannot change now, how the College decided to deal with Hutchinson, at that time.”