Newhaven College music director Kirk Skinner’s alleged abuse spanned years
Shocking new allegations have been uncovered against Newhaven College director of music Kirk Skinner, with explosive documents revealing the ex-staffer is facing a number of sex abuse charges spanning almost five years.
Police & Courts
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Sex abuse charges against a private school music director span almost five years, court documents reveal.
Newhaven College staffer Kirk Skinner faces a total of 13 charges relating to seven alleged victims, with a further 10 charges filed in court this week.
Charge sheets obtained by the Herald Sun show of the additional charges, three relate to offences against 17-year-old boys under his care.
In total, the 60-year-old faces six offences relating to children.
Skinner had already faced court over allegations relating to a student at Newhaven College, brought to police in November 2019.
However, the new charges go back as far as April 2015.
They include accusations that Skinner touched the penis of a 17-year-old at Newhaven and forced the boy to touch him in 2015, and that he indecently assaulted someone at Woolamai two months later.
In 2016, Skinner is accused of an indecent act of putting his hand on the pelvic bone and penis of a 17-year-old under his care, supervision or authority at Phillip Island.
He was accused of three offences in 2017 of intentional sexual touching at Newhaven, and pinching and putting his hand on a person’s buttocks at Wonthaggi.
Also at Wonthaggi he was accused of sexually touching a person in 2018, while the final new charge was of intentional sexual touching at Woolamai in 2019.
Skinner had already been charged with three offences relating to intentional sexual touching of a student.
He initially faced two charges over allegations from the student in November, but a further charge had been added relating to the same alleged victim to expand the time frame of offending, from March to November last year.
It comes as Skinner’s friend, a police officer who was on the school’s board of directors, stood down from his role with the college.
The police officer continues to be investigated by Victoria Police after he travelled to Thailand for Skinner’s 60th birthday in January despite him being investigated for child sexual offences against a student.
Charges were laid in court during the overseas birthday celebrations, however it was not known if the officer was aware of the charges at that stage.
“Victoria Police can confirm an investigation is under way involving a Leading Senior Constable from the Eastern region,” a police spokeswoman said this week.
“As the matter is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
The Herald Sun earlier reported that the first alleged victim’s father had criticised the school for neglecting his child’s welfare.
He said an offer by principal Gea Lovell to reunite Skinner and his child for a lesson the day after a complaint had been made to police had made him feel “physically ill”.
Documents seen by the Herald Sun show Mrs Lovell told the alleged victim’s parents that Skinner — who she had suspended a day earlier — “bears no ill will” against their child.
Staff have lodged a number of complaints to the school over its handling of the matter.
Mrs Lovell’s friendship with Skinner was raised as a concern.
The Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority has conducted a review.
Chair of the Newhaven College board, Greg Price, said the school had not been aware of the additional charges until being notified by the Herald Sun.
“The College’s primary concern is for the privacy, safety and welfare of any child the subject of these charges,” he said.
“We will continue to support the police with their investigations where we can assist, and look forward to the College’s own investigations proceeding when Mr Skinner’s criminal process is complete.”
He said Skinner, who is not a registered teacher, was no longer employed by the College.
Mrs Lovell will retire as the school’s principal at the end of the year.
Skinner will return to Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court for a committal mention on October 29.
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