Pedophile teachers’ aide David Justin Crisp who sexually abused boy rehired by Qld Catholic school

Shocking internal reports into a pedophile teachers’ aide who sexually abused a boy at a North Queensland school have claimed staff became aware of his offending and covered it up.

David Justin Crisp was finally sentenced for his crimes on Wednesday after fleeing the country more than 30 years ago.

A pedophile teachers’ aide who sexually abused a boy was rehired by the North Queensland Catholic school despite allegations from other boys, shocking internal documents reveal.

It comes as damning reports from inside St Teresa’s College Abergowrie show a sadistic culture of child sexual abuse, cover ups, and lies to protect pedophiles across decades.

One of those pedophiles - David Justin Crisp - was finally sentenced for his crimes on Wednesday after fleeing the country more than 30 years ago.

Remarkably, Crisp was arrested after a Crime Stoppers tip that he had returned to Australia from the United Kingdom to visit his sick mother in Toowoomba about three decades after the original warrant for his arrest was issued.

Crisp, a teacher and boarding master between 1989 and 1993, sexually abused one student and two other sexual assault complaints were also made by two other boys who have since died, a Townsville court was told.

David Justin Crisp, a North Queensland teacher who fled the country after sexually abusing a boy in a boarding school dormitory has finally faced justice. Picture from court documents

But shocking internal reports obtained by The Courier-Mail claim staff at the school became aware of his allegations of his offending and covered it up.

In 1989, staff were told of abuse by Crisp and told him to not be in a room with children without other adults present.

In 1990, Crisp again offended against a child and was suspended by the school, the internal documents state. He later resigned.

But in 1992, despite multiple allegations, Crisp was re-employed at the school by principal Jim Doran, who would go on to be convicted of multiple child sex offences in NSW before his death in 2018.

The report states Crisp went on to abuse two more children in 1993 - one year after being re-employed.

The internal report was damning of his rehiring, saying it was an “extraordinary and indefensible appointment”.

More documents show former Ingham CIB detective Alistair McDougall requested Crisp’s file in 1993, after the last of the boys’ sexual complaints, however school officials wrote back saying previous allegations had been resolved.

“I have reviewed the material in consultation with our solicitor,” a letter said.

“The previous allegation was investigated by church-related authorities at the time.

“The allegation was strenuously denied by Mr Crisp and the issue resolved.

“Our solicitor’s advice is that the details of the previous incident would not assist investigations into the current matter.

“Because of this, I wish to advise that the material may not be released from file.”

The internal report said the response was “curious” given that at least one of the two previous complaints was deemed to be believed by staff.

According to the internal report - conducted by Townsville Catholic Education Student Protection in 2023 and given to police - nine boys at the college made complaints of sexual abuse by Crisp at the school.

During his sentencing on Wednesday, the court was told Crisp – who is now aged in his 50s – sat at the end of a child’s bed and sexually abused him, even after another teacher walked into the room.

St Teresa's College, Abergowrie

Crisp pleaded guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child in his care.

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson said Crisp had no criminal history in Australia or the United Kingdom and now looked after his elderly, sick mother and that an extended period in custody would impact her due to him helping with everyday needs.

Jude John Coker noted Crisp had “breached” his position of “trust and authority” as being a teacher at the school.

He was sentenced to two years jail, suspended after serving eight months for an operational period of three years. He showed no reaction throughout his sentence.

James Doran, a former principal of the college, was among the perpetrators.

The internal documents reveal one of Doran’s victims was laced with drugs during a one-on-one evening “counselling session” where he was abused.

The documents also reveal other young students made reports of abuse against multiple other staff.

After complaints were made by one of the boys relating to Crisp, staff at the school also raised concerns about Doran’s behaviour and his “ability to handle such complaints”.

An investigation by the school found Doran had a fixation with sexual issues, masturbation, would take students away at night and there were concerns about his physical contact with students.

After further investigations by the school, Doran was told his contact would not be renewed at the end of 1993.

Barrister Alastair McDougall investigated the case when he was a detective.

Doran later was convicted and jailed for child sex offences at St John’s College, Woodlawn. He died in jail in 2018.

The now retired detective who investigated the case, Alastair McDougall, was in court on Wednesday to see justice finally be served.

He said he investigated allegations by the boy and issued an arrest warrant after he heard Crisp had fled the country to Vanuatu.

Mr McDougall went on to work for the National Crime Authority, Australian Crime Commission and later became a prominent barrister in Queensland before retiring last year.

“I was pretty shocked, I thought he would be gone forever,” Mr McDougall said of Crisp finally facing court.

“It was always in the back of my mind because it was one of the very few unresolved matters that I had as a detective.

“It’s satisfying to know that there is still one complainant out there that might get a sense of justice out of it.

“It was always in the back of my mind because it was one of the very few unresolved matters that I had as a detective.

“It’s satisfying to know that there is still one complainant out there that might get a sense of justice out of it.”

Originally published as Pedophile teachers’ aide David Justin Crisp who sexually abused boy rehired by Qld Catholic school