Michael Junkovic: St Kevin’s College Toorak teacher found not guilty on sexual assault charges
A St Kevin’s College teacher, who denied groping a student and calling him a ‘bisexual bastard’, has been vindicated in court.
Inner East
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A former teacher at scandal-plagued St Kevin’s College in Toorak has been cleared of wrongdoing after rumours he sexually assaulted a student snowballed into criminal charges following a television expose on the school.
Former religious education teacher and basketball coach Michael Junkovic, 42, was on Thursday acquitted of sexual assault and indecency charges stemming from an allegation he grabbed a boy between the legs from behind and called him a “bisexual bastard”.
Mr Junkovic had consistently denied the incident happened, and pleaded not guilty ahead of a hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last month.
The two-day hearing, before Magistrate Kieran Gilligan, heard the historical allegation emerged in the wake of an ABC Four Corners documentary into the testosterone-charged culture at the all-boys school.
Much of the hearing took place in closed court, and saw Mr Junkovic’s legal team challenge the alleged victim and witnesses’ about their memories of the incident.
Mr Gilligan on Thursday said the prosecution had not proven its case, pointing to grave inconsistencies between accounts given by witnesses, all of whom had spoken to each other about the alleged groping for years before it was reported to police.
Mr Gilligan was also scathing of a police decision to not call a potential witness, who Mr Junkovic’s legal team suggested could have been the person responsible for grabbing the alleged victim between his legs.
Mr Gilligan said evidence of Mr Junkovic’s good character cast doubt on whether he would have sexually groped the student.
A string of character witnesses, including former colleagues and students, testified at the hearing last month that Mr Junkovic was popular, professional, well liked by most students, and had never been the subject of any disciplinary complaints.
Mr Junkovic’s legal team argued the allegation against him was the product of “gossip and innuendo” among a small group of students who disliked him.
Police were ordered to pay Mr Junkovic’s costs.
Mr Junkovic, who was teaching at Carey Grammar when he was charged, has been suspended from teaching since late 2020.
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