School apology as ex-teacher admits abusing 8 more boys

David Bond has been sentenced to home detention again for sexual offending against a pupil. PHOTO...
David Russell Bond. PHOTO: ROB KIDD
A Dunedin high school has apologised “unreservedly” to students who were sexually assaulted by a former teacher.

David Russell Bond (70), of Cromwell, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning where he pleaded guilty to 20 charges - all indecent assaults and doing indecent acts on boys between 12 and 16 - spanning a decade.

The pleas by the ex-Otago Boys’ High School (OBHS) teacher brought to an end a lengthy legal proceeding and counsel Anne Stevens, QC, made no application for bail.

However, she requested a report on Bond’s behalf that would assess the possibility of home detention.

OBHS rector Richard Hall posted a statement to the school’s website this afternoon.

“Otago Boys’ High School unreservedly apologises to all past students who suffered as a result of this man’s actions, and we honour their courage in raising the issues,” he said.

“We are saddened that this is a part of our school history, and it is important that we acknowledge and learn from it. We won't forget it and there is no attempt to distance ourselves from it.”

He said processes were now in place to help pupils report problematic behaviour.

Court documents released this afternoon revealed how the defendant preyed on children through classes he taught, sports he coached and on year-10 camp at Mt Aspiring Station.

Much of Bond’s lewd behaviour took place in the classroom where he would approach pupils from behind “on the pretext of checking [their work]” and force his groin against them.

One victim became so uncomfortable, he simply stopped asking for help with his studies.

While the majority of the incidents happened in the presence of others, there were times that Bond isolated teens.

The summary outlined how on one occasion he followed a 16-year-old into the school gym where he congratulated him on winning a sporting event.

“While speaking to him he pushed his hand forward into the boy’s groin, intentionally pressing his hand into the front of the boy’s spandex shorts,” it said.

Bond was witnessed by cricketers rubbing himself through his shorts and he also indecently assaulted players.

One 13-year-old was preparing to bat in the nets when Bond asked him if he was wearing a box.

“Before the victim could say anything, the defendant immediately reached down, put his hands on the victim’s penis and testicles and grabbed hold of them,” the summary said.

Court documents confirmed the lewd conduct was seen by other staff.

In 2010, Bond went into a computer room being overseen by two other teachers and approached a pupil from the rear.

The defendant put his chin on the boy’s shoulder then pressed his body against him, only leaving when one of the staff members shouted at him.

Bond has twice received electronically-monitored sentences for similar crimes.

In December 2020, he got four months’ home detention for indecent assault, committed while he was employed as a teacher at Otago Boys'.

Bond offended on numerous occasions between 1997 and 1999 while the victim was watching or playing basketball at the school gym, the court heard.

He would stand ‘‘really close’’ to the boy, who was between 13 and 15 at the time, and deliberately brush his hand against the victim’s shorts.

In 2014, he was also sentenced to four months’ home detention over molestations from the 1970s, while teaching at a different school.

During a camping trip in the Mt Aspiring area, Bond slept beside the victim, who was woken by the teacher persistently pressing against his bottom and back.

The boy rolled away but was again woken by Bond, who had put his hand inside the sleeping bag.

Mrs Stevens asked Judge David Robinson to withhold the summary of facts because of vigilante attacks on her client’s property which she said occurred every time his name was published.

There would be less incentive for people to throw things at Bond’s home and graffiti his fence if the details of the case remained under wraps, she argued.

Judge Robinson declined the request.

Bond will be sentenced in June.

rob.kidd@odt.co.nz

 

 

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