Former Geelong Grammar teacher jailed for sex offences on boys

A HIGH-PROFILE art dealer has been jailed for preying on young boys while teaching at exclusive Geelong Grammar more than 30 years ago.

John Buckley, pictured at home in Melbourne in front of photos by David Stephenson, is selling off a big collection of his art collection.

HIGH-PROFILE art dealer John Hamilton Buckley has been jailed for preying on young boys while teaching at exclusive Geelong Grammar more than 30 years ago.

Buckley, 74, pleaded guilty to 13 charges including gross indecency against six victims who were young students at Geelong Grammar’s Glamorgan campus in Toorak in the early 1980s.

The predator plied some of the boys with alcohol and introduced them to pornography before sexually abusing them.

One of the victim’s parents complained to the school, but no action was taken against the well-liked teacher.

Buckley made the students sleep in his bed, watched them shower, and forced them to give him messages — ordering one to pretend Buckley was 1970s sex symbol Bo Derek.

Buckley went on to become a wealthy art dealer with homes in Melbourne and Lorne and once mixed with art world luminaries such as Andy Warhol.

When police raided his properties in June 2013 they found 93 images of child pornography. These included an image of one of the victims that he had kept for more than 30 years.

Buckley has been forced to resign from several prestigious Melbourne clubs and his career has suffered since the charges.

County Court Judge Jane Patrick said Buckley knew his behaviour was wrong and he had taken steps to keep his crimes a secret.

“You grossly betrayed the trust of these children and their parents,” Judge Patrick said.

“Your behaviour was disgraceful, repeated, predatory, often planned and extremely serious in what you did and the context in which you did it.”

Some of the victims were in court to see Buckley jailed for seven years and six months.

He must serve at least four years and nine months before being eligible for parole.