Phil Saunders hearing: Former Illawarra high school teacher allegedly had ‘favourites’

A court has heard an Illawarra high school teacher “robbed” a student of her HSC due to his infatuation with “gambling, soccer and banter”.

The hearing of Phil Saunders began in Wollongong Local Court in October, 2022. Picture: Dylan Arvela

A court has heard an Illawarra high school teacher “robbed” a student of her HSC due to his infatuation with “gambling, soccer and banter”.

The evidence came as the hearing of Phil Saunders continued in Wollongong Local Court on Monday, a year on from when it commenced.

Saunders, 49, pleaded not guilty to six charges including two counts of indecent assault of a person under his authority, two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16, intimidation and engaging in gambling with a minor.

The court previously heard Saunders, who was a teacher at Wollongong High School, allegedly ran a punters club in a PDHPE class.

“Two students approached me after class and asked if they could stay behind and talk about who they had in PDHPE (Saunders),” fellow PDHPE teacher Mikayla Chaffey told the court in October, last year.

“[Student 1] said ‘Mr Saunders was not teaching in class and $2 was being bet on the soccer’”.

“[Student 2] said ‘Most of the lesson was spent on the betting syndicate and not on teaching... He had a tally on the board’.”

Phil Saunders was a teacher at Wollongong High School. Picture: Google Maps

Another PDHPE teacher, Erika Lampe, gave evidence on Monday about a conversation she had with a former student of Saunders after the initial hearing dates in October, 2022.

Ms Lampe told the court the student said the court experience was “traumatic and arduous”.

“She told me ‘I realise now Phil Saunders was such a bad teacher, he robbed me of my HSC’,” Ms Lampe said.

“She said ‘I taught myself, he didn’t teach me because he was focused on gambling, soccer and banter with some of the other students’.”

The court heard Saunders allegedly had “favourites” with Ms Lampe recalling the student telling her she “couldn’t understand why [a male student] was his favourite student”.

“She said ‘He got good results when he did no work or study’,” Ms Lampe told the court.

Ms Lampe told the court the conversation with the former student lasted about 30 minutes.

However, the student contradicted much of the evidence given by Ms Lampe when she was called to the witness box.

The student said the conversation only lasted between five and 10 minutes and she “shut down” Ms Lampe when she raised the court proceedings.

Phil Saunders leaving Wollongong Local Court on Monday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“[Ms Lampe] tried to talk about him as a teacher,” the student said.

“She was trying to talk bad to me about his teaching style... His teaching style helped me get good grades.”

Ms Lampe had previously given evidence regarding the intimidation charge and the alleged victim, teacher Sally Johnston.

The court heard Ms Johnston was left “very upset and crying” after Saunders allegedly berated her in front of three students.

The hearing before Magistrate Michael Ong continues with it expected to be completed in 2024.

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