Former teacher Bevan Charles Wilson guilty of abusing teen boy, starting in art class storage room

A teacher at an inner suburban high school has been found guilty of abusing a student for more than a year. But one day his victim exploded in violence.

A former teacher at an inner suburban high school has been found guilty of sexually abusing one of his students – with his crimes starting in a storage room at the school.

Bevan Charles Wilson, who also goes by Bevin, was found guilty of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with the young boy following a trial before Judge Jane Schammer.

Wilson was briefly employed by Flinders University as a casual lecturer and tutor. He was known around campus for his flamboyant clothing.

His employment ended with the university before he was charged with the offending against the student.

Patrick Hill, prosecuting, told Judge Schammer in his opening submissions that Wilson had met his victim, then aged 12 or 13, in the mid-90s.

Wilson did not teach the child but took up a “guiding or mentoring-type relationship”.

The court heard the victim was struggling in high school and Wilson begun buying him food and paying him for odd jobs.

Bevan Wilson, a former teacher at an inner-suburban high school, has been found guilty of abusing a student at the school. Picture: Instagram

Bevan Wilson, a former teacher at Le Fevre High School, has been found guilty of abusing a student at the school. Picture: Facebook

“It was against this background that the accused presented himself as likeable, as caring, as someone who could and indeed did provide for this boy, then the sexual abuse commenced,” Mr Hill said.

The court heard the first instances of abuse occurred in a storage room off the art room at the high school.

The abuse continued for more than a year with Wilson leaving his job as a teacher but ingratiating himself into the victim’s family.

The court heard Wilson would take the victim on Saturday drives where he “abused him extensively”.

But when Wilson would bring the victim home he would snap back into the mentor figure.

“He switched back to this fun-loving bloke, this father-figure type that the victim otherwise enjoyed being around,” Mr Hill said.

In 2009, years after the abuse had ended, the victim assaulted Wilson.

During a pre-trial hearing, the victim said he had been at rock bottom and had threatened Wilson with a knife and made him call the victim’s father to tell him about the abuse.

Wilson’s ability to stand trial was hampered by his advanced Parkinson’s disease which affected his memory.

Angus Redford, for Wilson, argued his client was at a forensic disadvantage because of his declining cognitive abilities.

Bevan Wilson, a former teacher at an inner-suburban high school, has been found guilty of abusing a student at the school. Picture: Instagram.

In her 160 page judgment, Judge Schammer said that Wilson was “simply being untruthful” during parts of his evidence, such that she had no confidence in his credibility.

Wilson was allowed to remain on bail following the guilty finding so he could receive further medical treatment and reports could be prepared.

He will appear in court again next month.