Ex-College teacher sent to County Court for trial
A former Newhaven College music director has been sent for trial to the Melbourne County Court next week.
A 60-year-old former Newhaven College music director has been sent for trial to the Melbourne County Court on November 12.
Kirk Skinner, a college department head until stepping down from the role earlier this year, appeared at a committal hearing at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, charged by the Morwell Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT).
In February Mr Skinner, who lives at Woolamai, was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child under 16, and in August detectives laid a further 10 sexual offence charges.
According to the charge sheet, the offences occurred across multiple locations, including Phillip Island, Woolamai and Wonthaggi, dating back every year for the past five years.
Earlier this year the Victorian Government’s school regulators – the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and the Victorian Institute of Teaching – confirmed it was reviewing Newhaven College’s compliance and handling of the issue.
Last month, in a three-page letter to parents, guardians, students and alumni, the College released the details of a child protection review, written by board chair Greg Price who acknowledged “the seriousness” of the criminal case.
“Understandably, these proceedings raise significant concerns for many in our community,” Mr Price wrote.
“Our thoughts remain with the alleged victims and their families … and I ask that we all be sensitive to their privacy at this difficult time.”
Mr Price said every student at the College had a “right to be safe”, and the school had “a zero-tolerance for child safety risks”.
“Following the criminal allegations against the former Director of Music, the Board and the Principal have been extensively reviewing the College’s child-safe strategies, policies and procedures.”
He said the review included employment practices, the school’s child protection policy and responsibilities, risk identification, staff code of conduct and reporting and responding to child protection concerns, all of which will be regularly reviewed.
