Prison ‘inevitable’ for veteran school principal who sexually abused schoolgirl in 1989

A Tasmanian teacher who sexually abused a schoolgirl was “quietly moved on” when the revelations were first aired. Now, 30 years later, the veteran principal is finally facing prison time.

Wynyard High School principal Alexander Downes retired from the Education Department in March 2022, shortly after his victim finally came forward to Tasmania Police. Picture: Facebook

A VETERAN Tasmanian school teacher and principal will be sent to jail for sexually abusing a schoolgirl between 1989 and 1991.

Alexander Downes, now 65, was “quietly moved on” to another school, the victim said, when the abuse was first revealed in the early 1990s.

In fact, Downes continued working for, and was promoted by, the Department of Education until March last year, when he retired in the wake of the victim finally coming forward to police in December 2021.

Crown prosecutor Luke Ogden told the Supreme Court of Tasmania on Friday that Downes had been stood down by the Department of Education due to the woman’s disclosures.

But Downes claims he had already retired by the time he was contacted by police. However, he has instructed his lawyers not to challenge any of the Crown’s evidence “to prevent any further distress” to his victim.

The former high school teacher, who also worked as the principal of Rosebery District High School, Burnie High School, and for the past 10 years, at Wynyard High School, has pleaded guilty to one count of persistent sexual abuse of a child or young person.

Mr Ogden said the girl was aged 14 to 16 when Downes – who was acting senior science master at the time and a basketball coach, although not her direct teacher – offended against her.

The prosecutor said Downes would single the girl out for praise while playing basketball, touch her on the back, make her “feel special” and regularly drive her home.

When the girl was in Grade 9, she approached him and said she had feelings for him, with Downes saying “he reciprocated”.

From that point, Mr Ogden said unlawful sexual acts occurred “several times a week, whenever an opportunity arose” – including in his car, at his house when his wife wasn’t present, at a teacher’s unit near the school, in his shed, at a friend’s house in Winnaleah, and on a beanbag in the office of another teacher.

Downes told the girl that when she turned 18, he would leave his wife for her.

Eventually, the teacher took long service leave, with the girl describing herself as a “total mess”.

The girl’s parents became aware of the relationship and reported it to the school.

When Tasmania Police contacted Downes in 2022, he admitted the sexual contact but “downplayed” the number of times it occurred and attempted to shift the blame from himself, Mr Ogden said.

In her victim impact statement read to the court, the complainant said prior to the abuse, she “had a bright future to look forward to”, with good grades and sporting achievements.

But following the crimes, she “felt totally used” and attempted suicide, turned to drugs, fled the state and ended up with a criminal record.

“Looking back, I was completely lost, confused and completely damaged,” the woman said.

“My views and understanding of love and a healthy relationship was distorted.

“Before this abuse, I feel I had so much potential.”

The woman said she was let down by the school, who “quietly moved on” her abuser, who was ultimately promoted to a long career as a school principal within the department.

Defence barrister Fran McCracken said it was “unfortunate” Downes had been moved to another school, but it was not an unexpected move given it was the 1990s.

She also said Downes accepted “he was weak” and continued his offending against the girl after the school had found out about his crimes.

Mr Ogden said Downes had not expressed a “full-throated acceptance of the facts” and had downplayed the extent of his relationship with the girl.

Justice Robert Pearce remanded Downes in custody and will sentence him next week.

“A sentence of imprisonment is inevitable,” he said.

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Originally published as Prison ‘inevitable’ for veteran school principal who sexually abused schoolgirl in 1989