23 March 2021
Statement from Dilworth Trust Board Chairman Aaron Snodgrass
"Today Ian Wilson was sentenced in the Auckland District Court to three years and seven months imprisonment in relation to six charges of indecent assault and one charge of inducing a boy to do an indecent act.
Dilworth School acknowledges the conviction of former employee Ian Wilson today for historical sexual abuse and the lifting of name suppression for a conviction received in 1997.
The School apologises to the victim and to all former students who are victim-survivors of Ian Wilson and deeply regrets the abuse they endured.
Ian Wilson's offending was a gross breach of trust, particularly from someone who was a Senior Master at our school, a level just under that of Deputy Headmaster.
With name suppression related to Ian Wilson for a 1997 conviction now lifted by the Court, we are able to confirm that when the school was made aware of the first historical complaint in 1996 the complainant was encouraged and supported to report it to the Police. We assisted the Police with their inquiries and sought Ian Wilson's removal as a registered teacher with the Teacher Registration Board.
Since that first disclosure was reported we became aware of other complaints, all of which were reported to the Police resulting in further convictions. We can confirm all files related to Ian Wilson during his time at Dilworth have been passed on to the Police.
At the time of the first conviction in 1997 it was the Board's practice to apply for name suppression.
Today, to ensure we are able to communicate openly with our community and to encourage other victims to come forward, our policy is now to no longer seek name suppression in relation to historical abuse matters before the courts. We will also support the lifting of name suppression if it is requested by a survivor, as has been the case with Ian Wilson.
With this, the first conviction resulting from Operation Beverly, we want to reiterate to our Old Boy community we have support services available to those who want and need them. We encourage any Old Boy wanting to discuss their experiences with an independent clinical psychologist to contact the Listening Service via email, [email protected]
The Board is also supportive of any Old Boys who want to contact the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care regarding experiences from their time at Dilworth."