Child sex offender Kirk Skinner hospitalised days before pre-sentencing hearing

A judge has been left frustrated at the lack of clarity around a former Newhaven College music teacher’s admission to hospital days before his young victims were set to speak about the impact of his crimes.

Child sex offender Kirk Skinner has been hospitalised. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Child sex offender Kirk Skinner has been hospitalised on the eve of his pre-sentencing hearing as questions have been raised in court over the “life expectancy” of the ex-Newhaven College music director.

The 63-year-old was admitted to hospital on Friday with “acute renal and cardiac failure”, forcing the delay of his plea hearing in the County Court where his victims were set to speak out about the impact of his crimes.

Judge Daniel Holding said it was “extremely unsatisfactory” that he had no information from doctors on when Skinner, currently in the ICU, would be fit to return to court.

Skinner pleaded guilty in June to eight sex offences against six victims spanning three decades during his time teaching at Caulfield Grammar and Phillip Island’s Newhaven College.

Those offences included sexual penetration of a child and intentional sexual touching the genitals of boys, aged between 16 and 18.

Former Newhaven College director of music Kirk Skinner.

His confessions were kept secret by a gag order until the outcome of another case of alleged sex offending against a boy, 12, for which a jury found him not guilty in October.

On Wednesday, Judge Holding noted that all he had from medical authorities was a certificate that Skinner was “not fit for work”.

Defence barrister Tim McCulloch said that advice was being sought on “how long he’ll be unfit for physical tasks”.

“Who cares whether he’s fit for tasks, it’s a question of whether he can sit in the back in the dock,” His Honour replied.

Mr McCulloch said his instructor received a message from Skinner’s partner on Sunday night that the confessed child offender had been admitted to hospital two days earlier.

The court heard he had a kidney problem and a previous blood cancer diagnosis that may be in remission.

Mr McCulloch said it appeared Skinner had suffered “complications” from a prior Non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis.

The defence barrister raised issues about Skinner’s care and ongoing prognosis, whether his treatment could be managed in jail, and whether there was “a question of life expectancy involved”.

Judge Holding commented that other offenders with serious conditions routinely “get taken care of by Corrections” in custody.

The court was told of his medical history. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The case was put off for a mention next month where a doctor could be called to give evidence about Skinner’s condition, before a new date would be set down for the plea hearing.

At plea hearings, victims are given the opportunity to speak out about the impact that crimes have had on them while the prosecution and defence put forward submissions to the judge before sentencing.

His Honour addressed any victims who might be watching the hearing on the video link, stating that Skinner was in hospital with “serious medical conditions” and that it was “unfortunate it’s not clarified when those conditions will allow him to be present” at court.

It was anticipated the plea hearing could be re-booked in January.

Barrister Andrew McKenry, for the prosecution, said it was a “matter of some priority” that the victims be able to read their impact statements to the court, and that part of the plea hearing be completed as soon as possible.

Judge Holding called for information or a detailed medical report to be made available at the next hearing in December “specifically addressing when he would be fit to attend court”.

“It’s an important matter,” His Honour said, noting there were victims likely in attendance and media interest.

Skinner’s bail was extended in his absence.

His matter will return to the County Court for a mention on December 19.