Primary School Boys Accused of Sexual Assaults
Tanya Chilcott and Margaret Wenham
SHOCKING sex assault allegations against Year 1 and Year 2 boys have caused worried parents to pull children out of a Brisbane primary school.
The Courier-Mail reports at least three Year 1 and Year 2 boys were alleged to have sexually assaulted their classmates in separate incidents at the school on the city's northern outskirts since June.
One girl was pulled out of the school after she was allegedly assaulted, with another Year 1 student, by two boys in the school toilets on June 16.
The girls' underwear was removed by the Year 1 boys, who then allegedly performed sex acts on the girls.
Police have confirmed they investigated an incident in June but have refused to say whether the boys were cautioned.
Children under the age of 10 are unable to be charged.
Two other girls were allegedly sexually assaulted last week.
A Year 2 boy is said to have grabbed a girl from behind and put his hand up her dress while in a separate incident, another Year 1 girl was touched inappropriately by Year 1 boys while in line.
Parents of one of the girls told the Courier-Mail they reported the matter to police ''not for revenge'', but so the boy might realise the seriousness of the situation and also to bring about change at the school.
They said they were unhappy with the way the school dealt with it, with the boy returning to class the next day without his teacher being told about the incident.
It was left to the victim's mother to warn the teacher that the boy should be monitored.
The parents said police were now going to address the entire school on appropriate behaviour and praised the officers and education officials for their handling of the situation.
They also said the school had many great teachers who did a fantastic job.
An Education Queensland spokesman confirmed ''an alleged child protection issue'' at a state school in the Brisbane area had been referred to police and the Department of Child Safety ''as a matter of urgency in June''.
www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26102609-26103,00.html