Former school principal jailed for abusing boys

A former Wellington school principal was jailed for four years nine months today for abusing boys at Porirua's Corinna primary school in the 1970s.

Richard Fallowfield Joel, 62, was sentenced in Wellington District Court after pleading guilty last month to 16 charges of indecent assault and inducing seven boys under 16 to do indecent acts.

The offending took place over a period of six years starting in 1970 on boys between the ages of 7 and 12.

Two victims were at court today, and their impact statements were read out by the crown.

A 45-year-old man started his statement with a W H Auden quote: "What all school children learn, those to whom evil is done, do evil in return."

"Evil is how my life has become after Richard Joel," he said.

As a nine-year-old student in his class, the man said he trusted Joel - "he was my idol."

"Joel told me I was special and he loved me; I loved him back," he said.

The man described how he would stay at Joel's house over the weekend.

He said his life turned to hate, suffering mental torture after Joel wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

By 13 he was doing cannabis and prostituting himself to get money, and at 17 he served his first jail term, he said.

The man said he didn't blame Joel for his crimes, but he did believe his life would have been different had he not been abused.

The court also heard the story of a 44-year-old man who was abused when he was 10 or 11 years old.

He said he was approached by Joel and asked to help with movie nights.

When the abuse started, the man said "I was confused and didn't understand what he was doing."

He no longer wanted to go to school and would leave home early on weekends, scared Joel would come and take him to his home.

"He robbed me of my innocence," the man said.

Judge David Ongley called the offences "a systematic and ongoing sexual offence against young, venerable, trusting pupils".

He said there was a theme to the offences, as Joel created opportunities with the victims, including having them stay at his home.

Defence counsel Shane Robinson told the court Joel had expressed remorse, taken responsibility for his offending, and had also made positive contributions to many children during his 38 years at schools.

He said it was a tragedy that his lengthy teaching career would be defined by his offences.

Judge Ongley gave Joel a starting point of seven years imprisonment, and gave him a one third credit for pleading guilty.

He also took into account Joel's previous good character, and the fact there had been no further offending in the past 35 years, although he noted police found material in Joel's computer showing he maintained an interest in boys.

Detective Sergeant Dan Keno, who was at court with the two victims, said it had been a huge, real emotional rollercoaster for the victims.

"Some of them haven't spoken about it for 30, 40 years. So to receive that call from the police after that period of time, they'd be hiding in closets and once we arrived, it's just, everything tumbling out."

Mr Keno said the victims in court would have liked a longer sentence, but understood how the justice system worked.

"They are satisfied that he will be behind bars and not at risk of re-offending."

He urged anyone with any further information in relation to Joel to contact police.

"If victims are keen to come forward, we are still interested," he said

"If nothing else, we can put support in place for the victims, whether it's through counselling or referring them to other agencies."

- NZPA