Gavin Morris, school principal charged with assault, resigns from Alice Springs Council

A Territory school principal fighting historic assault charges before the courts has given up his council position – months after he was first charged. Read the latest.

13-08-2024 - Gavin Morris, principal of Alice Springs Indigenous school Yipirinya departs Alice Springs local court with solicitor Luke Officer. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

A school principal currently fighting charges of physically assaulting kids has given up his position on a Red Centre council, more than seven months after he was first charged.

Gavin Morris, the former principal of Yipirinya School in Alice Springs, stood down from his councillor duties at the March 25 Alice Springs Town Council ordinary council meeting.

Mr Morris was not present for his resignation, with Mayor Matt Paterson informing the council he had stood down.

Mr Paterson said Mr Morris informed council of his resignation on the day of the council meeting.

Yipirinya School Principal Gavin Morris at Yipirinya School, Alice Springs, on June 28, 2024. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Elected to council in 2022, Mr Morris was a councillor for more than seven months after he was charged with five counts of aggravated assault in August last year.

When he was arrested, NT Police said the charges were over “reports of historic physical assaults on children at the school” which “occurred on multiple separate occasions in 2023”.

In the wake of the charges being laid, Mr Morris was stood down from Yipirinya School with full pay. 

Gavin Morris, the principal of Alice Springs Indigenous school Yipirinya, outside Alice Springs local court on Tuesday, August 13. Picture: Liam Mendes

Through his lawyer Luke Officer, Mr Morris pleaded not guilty to the charges last year.

His matter will return to Alice Springs Local Court on April 17 where he is excused from attending if legally represented.

He will be back in court in September this year, when a hearing on his matter is due to take place.

With local government elections due to take place this year, council would now reconvene to decide whether to fill the vacancy via an appointment or wait for the position to be filled at the election, Mr Paterson said.

Originally published as Gavin Morris, school principal charged with assault, resigns from Alice Springs Council