Former teacher Thomas Robert Ackland handed a 14-year prison term, apology an ‘insincere insult’

A child-abusing former Yorke Peninsula teacher who insists he’s not a pedophile has been handed a 14-year prison term and savaged by a judge, who has told him to “stop pretending”.

Former Yorke Peninsula school teacher Thomas Ackland outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court in October. Picture: Brenton Edwards

A former Yorke Peninsula teacher who sexually abused 14 students is a sinister, disingenuous hypocrite who needs to “stop pretending” he is not a deviant and “wake up to himself”, a judge says.

On Friday, District Court Judge Paul Muscat condemned Thomas Robert Ackland, saying his supposed apology to his many victims was an “insincere insult” showing “an absence of true remorse”.

He said Ackland’s continued denials of his “patent” sexual interest in children made him an ongoing danger to the community, and deserving of a 14-year prison term.

“Your behaviour cannot be explained through ‘mere stupidity’ as you’ve claimed – it was much more sinister than that,” he said.

“For you to claim (that) is disingenuous and, quite frankly, hypocritical – in light of that, your apology is hollow and insincere.

The judge described Thomas Ackland’s apology as “hollow and insincere”. Picture: Facebook

“(It was) an insult to the many students you sexually abused... your total lack of insight demonstrates an absence of true remorse... your sexual interest in children is patent.

“You seriously need to wake up to yourself about what you have done and why you did it, and stop pretending otherwise... pretending is not going to make this disappear.”

Ackland, 31, pleaded guilty to 14 child sex abuse charges, including maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child.

He groomed his victims via Snapchat under the guise of “bloke talk”, insisting their inappropriate and innuendo-laden conversations be kept secret.

Ackland’s victims labelled him “abhorrent”, “a monster” and “malicious”, while he apologised for any harm he “may have caused” them – while insisting he is not a pedophile.

In sentencing on Friday, Judge Muscat said Ackland had multiple opportunities to stop offending – including after being spoken to by police – but continued nonetheless.

“You were considered by the school community as a good, respected and popular teacher, and a responsible member of the broader community,” he said.

“Beneath that veneer lay another side to you... to call you a person of good character distorts the expression.”

He imposed a non-parole period of 11 years, two months and 12 days.

Outside court, the victim’s lawyer, Andrew Carpenter, said his clients welcomed the sentence.

“It’s still nowhere near the life sentence that all the children who came forward have received... it can never take back the damage that’s been caused,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that he’s still in denial... his offending was one of the most brazen things you can think of.”

Mr Carpenter said Ackland’s former school should have stepped in and stopped the offending when students complained about it, long before police became involved.

“The most heartbreaking thing about this offending is that it was preventable, if people in positions of power at the school had spoken up about it,” he said.

“But the families are relieved at this result, and that this monster is off the streets for this period of time.”