Headmaster resigns after giving convicted child sex offender a ‘character reference’

The Melbourne headmaster who provided a character reference for a convicted child sex offender who preyed on one of his students has today resigned. St Kevin's headmaster Stephen Russell released a statement last night saying he “regrets” ever submitting the reference after the revelations aired on Four Corners on Monday night. He stood down from his posting as headmaster this morning. Mr Russell wrote a resignation letter Edmund Rice Education Australia – which runs St Kevin’s school – saying “always tried to put the school before self and the students' wellbeing at the very top of my list of priorities”. “I have a deep and abiding passion for this school community and am very grateful for the 24 years of nurturing I and my family have received,” he wrote. “I extend my best wishes and encouragement to the current student body to be ‘good people’, the way so many who went before them have been across the decades.” “I believe the current situation means that the best way to achieve this is to resign." Mr Russell tendered the character reference for St Kevin’s athletics coach Peter Kehoe who was convicted of grooming year nine student Paris Street in 2014. Kehoe sent Paris a series of inappropriate Facebook messages which referenced oral sex and erections after providing him private athletics coaching. He also told the child “Love you. Xxxxxxxx” and “Ah, the pain of unrequited love!" Paris – who is now 20 years old – told Four Corners he was “just gutted” to learn the headmaster had written a character reference for his abuser. Mr Russell said while he regretted tendering the character reference he was also “considering the interests of Paris Street” when he wrote the character reference and “only” provided it to the court to aid sentencing. "I was considering the interests of Paris Street as the victim of abhorrent conduct, and providing information to the Court for sentencing purposes only." The Four Corners investigation by Louise Milligan led to the community calling for the headmaster’s resignation. Ms Milligan told Triple M today it was “absolutely chaos” at St Kevin’s with multiple boys refusing to stand when they were addressed by Mr Russell. “A number of boys refused to stand up, and they’re expected to stand up, and refused to sing the school song,” she said. The Four Corners investigation also revealed the victim’s counselling session notes had been redacted to cover up “criticisms of the school’s response”. Via news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site https://www.news.com.au