A South Australian teacher who sexually abused three students in the 1980s has partly blamed contract positions and a lack of permanency for his offending, an Adelaide court has heard.
Key points:
- Anthony Rex Virgo pleaded guilty to the persistent sexual exploitation of three students in the 1980s
- His victims were 15 and 16 at the time
- The South Australian teacher has since lost his job
Anthony Rex Virgo, 59, pleaded guilty in the District Court to the persistent sexual exploitation of three children.
The victims were aged 15 and 16 at the time.
In a pre-sentence hearing, one of those students told the court she eventually moved interstate to avoid any incidental contact with the man who abused her.
“I felt fear, shame and some ongoing mistrust of men in authority,” the woman wrote in her victim impact statement read to the court.
“I realise that I had been manipulated … by a selfish man; I was ashamed, I felt revolted for many years and angry.
“Mr Virgo was viewed by many as a paedophile who felt that he was untouchable – God’s gift.
“I had dismissed Tony Virgo as just a young, selfish man without perspective regarding the responsibility he held.”
But she told the court she eventually feared her lack of reporting to police may put other young people at risk and reported the crime.
Another victim, who was 16 when the offending started, told the court it was a “consensual relationship” and while she did not view their time together fondly, she had “no resentment”.
She told the court Virgo was an “immature 23-year-old on teaching probation” when she was a student.
Virgo began his teaching career in 1985, after graduating with a Bachelor of Education.
The court heard he taught at Northfield, Henley Beach, Adelaide, Fremont and Windsor Gardens schools before getting permanency at Wudinna in 1990.
His lawyer, Michael Woods, told the court Virgo was “immature” when he started offending at the age of 23, but had not been “predatory” as his offending was not “hidden”.
“Like many teachers, [he] had about five years of a lack of certainty in his profession,” Mr Woods told the court.
“And a lack of certainty because of the contract nature of employment.
“He feels, when one looks back at this, that that in some degree probably helped shape some of the offending.”
Mr Woods told the court Virgo was a “very decorated and well-regarded” teacher for more than 20 years and had become the director of the Science and Space program at Hamilton Senior School.
He said his client, a father of one, was “a hard-working” man who was genuinely remorseful and had rehabilitated.
“He has given full, heartfelt apologies to each of the victims in this matter,” he told the court.
“He’s a man who’s ashamed, [he] describes himself as an idiot who was immature at the time.
“This man is to lose everything; he’s already lost his reputation, he’s likely to lose his freedom, his career, his house and his self-respect.”
Mr Woods told the court Virgo had “led an impeccable life” since his offending, including 10 years as a Country Fire Service volunteer.
“I know we’re not allowed to say it was different back in a different era,” Mr Woods told the court.
“But what is different is not just the sentencing, but the attitude of those around.”
But Judge Ian Press said Virgo had lied about the age of one of his victims when talking to a friend.
“I can’t imagine … that Mr Virgo didn’t understand that being in a relationship with someone who was 15 or 16 was anything other than wrong,” Judge Press said.
“The lies about her age would be for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to protect himself.”
Virgo has lost his job and had his teacher registration cancelled.
He will be remanded in custody when the matter returns to court on Friday.
