Former Erina High School teacher sentenced to prison over sexual assault

At age 80, Garry Frederick Armstrong has been sentenced to five years and four months jail at Gosford Court after pleading guilty to one count of buggery on the second day of his trial.

A former Erina High School teacher has been sent to prison after pleading guilty to the sexual assault of a former student.

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A lifetime of good character has ended in disgrace for a former Erina High School teacher who was jailed for three years for buggering a boy in 1978.

Garry Frederick Armstrong was sentenced to five years and four months jail at Gosford District Court on Thursday, July 25, with a non-parole period of three years, after pleading guilty to one count of buggery on the second day of his trial.

Another charge of committing an act of indecency was taken into account at sentencing.

He told the court he changed his plea to guilty after hearing his victim give evidence.

The 80-year-old told the court that hearing his victim “made it more real” than just reading his statement.

The court heard Armstrong, of Sydney, was a well-liked and respected teacher who produced and directed many of Erina High School’s plays and musicals in the mid 1970s.

It was through one of these theatrical productions he became fond of a 16-year-old boy who he did not directly teach.

The court heard the pair had consumed alcohol one night in December 1978 at a Point Frederick address to discuss the school’s upcoming production of Pippin.

Garry Frederick Armstrong was sentenced to five years and four months jail in Gosford District Court.

“The complainant can’t remember what the drink was that he had but believes it was alcohol, which he’d had minimal experience with by that stage of his life,” an agreed statement of facts read.

“The next thing the complainant can recall is being naked on a bed with the accused. The accused was behind him in a spooning position.”

Armstrong, then aged 39, raped the teenager and committed an act of indecency on him.

The victim never told anyone what happened until 2014 when he confided in his wife who eventually convinced him to report it to police.

In January 2018, police obtained a warrant to record phone calls between the victim and Armstrong.

The victim said he was touching base with people involved in the plays, trying to put together a reunion or catch up.

But Armstrong soon suspected the phone call was not about a reunion and asked the victim: “what’s your goal in doing this?”.

During a second phone call a week later the Armstrong said he didn’t single out the victim and “I never interfered with any student before you. Never”.

“You know if I caused you, um, pain in your life, I’m very sorry about that,” Armstrong told the victim.

Armstrong was a well-liked and respected teacher who produced and directed many of Erina High School’s plays and musicals in the mid 1970s.

“That would have been the last thing I’d have wanted to do. But, but, I did it, I did it.”

Armstrong told his victim that was a very bad year for him and he moved to Sydney to “get away from it all”.

Testimonials from Armstrong’s family and friends — including his three children, eight grandchildren, current partner and ex-wife — expressed their “shock” when they learned of his charges.

District Court Judge David Wilson said the testimonials described Armstrong as a supportive, loving and kind father and grandfather.

“Each of them portrays the offender as a person of good character,” Judge Wilson said.

“Testaments show the offending was very much out of character.”

While Judge Wilson was satisfied the offending was “an aberration” and only took place over a short period of time it could not mitigate the seriousness of the offence.

He said a victim impact statement, read out by the victim’s wife, spelled out the long-term emotional trauma the offence caused, including leading the victim to alcohol and cannabis abuse as a way to “numb his brain” from thinking about it too much.

“The conduct of the offender has greatly affected the complainant’s life at the time and since,” Judge Wilson said.

He said the offence also left the victim with depression and suicidal thoughts.

Judge Wilson said he had to take into account a small discount for the guilty plea and special circumstances being his elderly age, medical conditions and the fact it would be his first time in custody.

He said he also had to sentence him in line with the sentencing guidelines in place at the time of the offending.

Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and red tie Armstrong stood in the dock as he was ordered to spend the next three years behind bars while some of his supporters cried in the public gallery. He will be eligible for parole on July 24, 2022.