Ex teacher John McMillan appeals jail term over student abuse at Melbourne schools
A TEACHER at two prestigious schools who admitted molesting students will appeal his jail term.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A TEACHER at two prestigious schools who admitted molesting students will appeal his jail term.
John McMillan, 72, was a teacher at Wesley and Preshill colleges when he abused two boys aged about 12 and 13, in the 1970s and 1990s.
His first victim was assaulted on camping trips in the mid-1970s while he was isolated in a tent with McMillan — the only adult present.
“There was, in short, no escape,” Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said as he sentenced McMillan on Wednesday.
“This happened repeatedly.”
His second victim was forced to watch McMillan wash his genitals in a gym shower.
McMillan, on a later occasion, touched the boy inappropriately over his clothes.
Prosecutors said McMillan often insisted students were naked around him.
But he was today released on bail after lodging an immediate appeal against his four-month prison term.
McMillan was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to 18 months’ jail and ordered to serve four months behind bars.
But he was bailed shortly afterwards when he lodged an immediate appeal against the sentence.
The 72-year-old, who now lives in Queensland, suffers from a slew of health issues including scoliosis, a heart condition and osteoporosis.
Mr Lethbridge took that into account but said the former teacher’s crimes meant there was no alternative to immediate imprisonment.
“You were a person trusted to care for children and given authority over them,” the magistrate said.
“You breached that trust and abused that authority.”
The court heard McMillan’s victims’ lives had been devastated by the abuse.
One found it hard to explain the impact of McMillan’s crimes, which had triggered a life of turmoil.
“Imagine taking all the worst, most distressing emotions like fear, shame, anger, guilt and humiliation and throwing them all into a tumble dryer,” he said in a statement.
“Then turn it on. That’s the closest analogy I can find.”
Both victims were in court to see their attacker sentenced.
McMillan, who was deregistered in 1996, had pleaded guilty to six charges: four counts of indecent assault, and one count each of indecent act against a child and offensive behaviour.
He has no prior convictions and worked in farming until last year. He also volunteered with the CFA and was involved in community organisations.
McMillan’s appeal will come before the Victorian County Court in October.