A retired drama teacher will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after being sentenced to 21 years in prison for sexually abusing students across three decades.
Keith Athol Bates-Willie, 71, was found guilty in August of 14 charges, including rape, aggravated sexual assault and the persistent abuse of children.
The offences occurred between the late 1970s and mid-2000s while he was teaching at Rosetta High, Kingston High School and Rosny College in southern Tasmania.
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Estcourt said he was “satisfied beyond any doubt” that Bates-Willie committed every alleged act.
“This is a most serious example of sexual predation and abuse given the imbalance of power and the terrible breach of trust involved,” he said.
16 men gave evidence during the trial, describing being groped and assaulted during rehearsals, at parties, in classrooms and while being driven home.
Prosecutor Jack Shapiro told the jury Bates-Willie had cultivated inappropriate relationships with favoured students, sometimes plying them with alcohol at his home.
“He was a man who always brought things back to sex and his sexual interest was these young boys,” he said.
Ten victims delivered impact statements describing a “spiral of self-destruction” and feeling like they were “living on the edge”.
Justice Estcourt noted Bates-Willie had shown “no remorse” and had dismissed his victims as “liars” motivated by compensation claims.
“He did not once look at or acknowledge any of his victims in court during the reading of victim impact statements,” the judge said.
Defence lawyer Jessie Sawyer argued some offences were at the “lower end” of severity and did not involve violence, but Justice Estcourt rejected that characterisation.
“These were crimes of sexual violence,” the judge said.
He described Bates-Willie’s actions as those of a “morally and socially worthless person”.
Bates-Willie must serve 11 years before being eligible for parole and will remain on the sex offender registry for life.
Sexual assault support lines:
1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
