Phil Saunders hearing: Teacher allegedly ran punters club in Illawarra classroom

A Wollongong teacher who is said to have “liked betting on things” allegedly ran a gambling syndicate among his students, a court has heard. Read about the latest developments in the hearing.

Phil Saunders leaving Wollongong Courthouse. Picture: Dylan Arvela

An Illawarra high school teacher was allegedly running a gambling syndicate from a classroom whiteboard, a court has heard.

The astonishing allegations were aired in Wollongong Local Court on Friday on the fourth day of the hearing into Phil Saunders.

The Wollongong High School PDHPE teacher has been charged with engaging in gambling with a minor and intimidation, the latter of which pertains to an alleged tirade Saunders directed at his colleague Sally Johnston.

Fellow PDHPE teacher Mikayla Chaffey told the court two students had confided in her in March 2021 about an alleged gambling syndicate which saw Saunders collect bets from students to place on English Premier League games.

“Two students approached me after class and asked if they could stay behind and talk about who they had in PDHPE (Saunders),” Ms Chaffey said.

“[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’.”

Ms Chaffey also said she heard a conversation in the PDHPE staffroom where Saunders allegedly said “Can‘t we have a little bit of fun with kids these days”, asserting it was in relation to the betting syndicate.

Edith McDonald, another teacher who has been at Wollongong High for 17 years, gave evidence of an interaction she had with a student regarding Saunders allegedly watching horse racing on his laptop during a Year 12 PDHPE class.

“[Student 3] said ‘Ms McDonald, Mr Saunders watches the races on his laptop when he’s in class’,” Ms McDonald said.

“He asked Mr Saunders why and he said ‘I am allowed to because it’s my second job’.”

Ms McDonald said she saw the whiteboard on one occasion and she noticed “unusual diagrams” which caught her attention as it was ”usually blank”.

The alleged gambling syndicate involved betting on English Premier League soccer matches. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

She listed no fewer than 11 names listed along the top of the diagram including “P” which she believed to refer to Saunders.

“The ‘P’ stood for Phil Saunders … [and the names were] all students in Mr Saunders Year 12 PDHPE class,” Ms McDonald said.

Ms McDonald also alleged Saunders “liked betting on things” and would tell others in the faculty about the ”horses he was owning or going to own”.

It‘s alleged Saunders would be watching the horse racing on his personal laptop in the PDHPE staffroom in the presence of students with Ms McDonald telling the court when head teacher David Arthur told him to stop Saunders would reply “the students could leave”.

The court also heard claims from Ms McDonald about the “friendship” between Wollongong High‘s deputy principal, Bryce O’Connor, and Saunders.

The events are alleged to have unfolded at Wollongong High School in 2021. Picture: Google Maps

Ms McDonald told the court there were “many occasions” Saunders would ”say inappropriate things”, however, she never ”had the confidence to raise it” with Mr O‘Connor.

Mr O‘Connor had been the one to receive a complaint from Ms Johnston about the alleged tirade in February, 2021.

Ms McDonald said at some point “about five years ago” Saunders had told her he ”wouldn‘t have a job if it was not for Bryce O’Connor”.

Mr O’Connor has not been charged with anything and is not expected to take part in proceedings.

The fourth day was set down as the final day of the hearing, however, it was indicated to Magistrate Michael Ong the matter would require an additional week which is likely to be in 2023.

Saunders is also subject to a separate two-week hearing which will be held at a later date regarding two counts of aggravated indecent assault of a victim under authority and two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16.

Saunders will return to Wollongong Local Court on Friday, October 21, to request a bail variation relating to who he is allowed to have contact with.