Ex-Yorke Peninsula teacher Thomas Robert Ackland makes hollow apology to victims

A former country teacher has apologised for any harm he “may” have caused his 11 sex crime victims, but denied he has an appetite for underage boys – a view shot down by a judge.

Former Yorke Peninsula schoolteacher Thomas Robert Ackland outside court after an earlier hearing. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

Sex-abusing former teacher Thomas Robert Ackland has told a court he is sorry for any harm he “may” have caused his 11 victims – and insisted he is “not in denial” about his perverted, predatory interest in children.

On Friday, counsel for Ackland said their client “does not resile” from his guilt and takes full responsibility for his criminal grooming and abuse of boys he has been entrusted to teach.

They read an apology on his behalf because, due to an administrative error, Ackland appeared by video link from custody rather than being brought to court in person.

“My intention was never to cause any harm or distress to the young men or their families … I’m ashamed by my behaviour and acknowledge the interactions were inappropriate and unjustified,” it read.

“(The victims) were still children and, within the exchange of messages, I remorsefully lost sight of that … treating them as buddies or friends crossed the line of what should have been a student/teacher relationship.

“I maintain I am not in denial about my sexual preference … I am heterosexual … I apologise to the students, their families, my co-workers, parents and extended family for any harm I may have caused.”

Judge Paul Muscat said that apology sat poorly when weighed against the evidence in the case.

“There’s an immediate contradiction in that statement … I’m not prepared to sentence him on the basis he has no sexual interest in children because, clearly, he does,” he said.

Ackland was charged in 2021. Picture: Facebook

Ackland had multiple victims and is now in custody awaiting sentence. Picture: Facebook

Outside court, the mother of one of Ackland’s victims agreed with Judge Muscat.

“I definitely picked up on the ‘may have’ … there’s no ‘may have’, he has hurt a lot of people,” she said.

“The apology was just words on paper without substance to them – it was just a formality that he had to write to make himself feel better.”

Ackland, 31, pleaded guilty to maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child and 13 aggravated counts of communicating with the intention of making a child amenable to sexual activity.

He communicated with his victims via Snapchat, issuing strict instructions around secrecy before grooming them.

He encouraged them to share their secrets and used his position of trust to manipulate them using sexual innuendo, invasive questions and inappropriate conversations under the guise of “bloke talk”.

Earlier this month, Ackland’s victims and their families labelled him “abhorrent”, “a monster” and “malicious”, saying his crimes were “heinous” and “unforgivable.

On Friday, Judge Muscat remanded Ackland in custody for sentencing in December.

Outside court, lawyer and victim advocate Andrew Carpenter said Ackland’s apology held little value.

“It was, obviously, a slap in the face to the brave people who have come forward and is in direct contradiction to his crimes,” he said.

“It shows Ackland still has not acknowledged the true nature of what happened, and has tried to use a self-serving apology to claim he isn’t sexually attracted to children.”