School in sex film 'cover-up'

Mercury Bay Area School. Photo / Herald on Sunday

An exchange student who was drunk and comatose at a school party was allegedly subjected to a sexual act which was filmed and passed around school, the Ministry of Education has been told.

The Herald on Sunday has been told that a digital recording of the female student and the actions of a male student was later tracked down by teachers who deleted it.

The male student's mother said last night: "If there was an incident involving my son then I would have hoped the school would have come to me about it."

It is the latest allegation to come from Mercury Bay Area School, which is under statutory management after a string of complaints from parents and others in the community.

Education Minister Anne Tolley appointed limited statutory manager Lois Craill in October to oversee the school. She has called an emergency meeting of the board in the next few days to discuss the allegations.

Board member Herb Herbert said: "I heard a whisper a while ago there was a hiccup...but it was all hushed up and I didn't hear anything else.

"It must have been dealt with by management at the school. It really sounds like a police matter."

Ministry of Education executive Chris Day said there had not been a formal complaint. "However, we have been in touch with the school to discuss these allegations."

When approached, principal John Wright said: "I don't know what you are talking about."

One student, who was close friends with the boy at the centre of the allegations, said his friend had been with a female student at a party who was comatose.

He said he was told the boy had attempted to have sex with the girl while another boy filmed him. When he was unable to, he simulated a sex act.

The student said the video was distributed among other students. "It's on lots of people's phones." He had not seen the film himself.

Students at the school, interviewed by the Herald on Sunday in the presence of their parents, were familiar with the details of the allegations.

One student said: "It was fairly traumatic for the girl. She used to go to a few parties and would get drunk quite easily. I was told she was comatose in the video clip."

Another student said: "She was very upset afterwards. She had always been a quiet girl but she went into her shell completely after that."

The students said teachers had made their own inquiries into the alleged incident.

The Herald on Sunday has learned others in the community became aware of the allegations. It is understood one woman, who was connected to the case through a student, complained to the school and wanted police involved.

However, it was understood the girl who had been filmed did not want to lay a formal complaint in case her parents in her home country became aware of the incident.

The Herald on Sunday was told the girl was taken to a doctor by a staff member of the school following the incident.

It is understood she had little memory of the incident but believed it to be true after being told by other students of the recording.

The Herald on Sunday was also told teachers spoke to the boys about their copies of the recording. The boys claimed that the video recording had been taken from YouTube. Students told the Herald on Sunday teachers then deleted the recording.

Board member David Lamason said he had not heard about the incident. "Some people have been complaining direct to the education ministry when they really should have come to the school."