Thomas Rodgers was sentenced to a four-year jail term on Monday, January 22 for subjecting children aged five to 11 to sexual abuse during the 1990s. This sentence was accompanied by a ruling from Judge Kamill, who stated that a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was not deemed necessary, but strongly advised Rodgers to inform parents of any children he continued to teach.
In response, defence counsel Claire Cooper informed the court that Rodgers had indeed notified some parents about the offences and sentencing date, resulting in some parents withdrawing their children from his teaching. Cooper also requested the court to consider that the offences occurred a quarter of a lifetime ago when Rodgers was still a youth himself.
Despite the trauma he endured, one survivor expressed relief and hope, stating, “I’m happy I’m a survivor, and I’m proud and hopeful no-one will have to go through what I have gone through with you again.”
Should you or somebody you know be affected by this story, Victim Support offers free and confidential advice at 08 08 16 89 111 or through their website.
