'Grave breach of trust': Former principal sent to prison

Gary Raymond Sykes sexually abused a teenager over a 12-month period. Justice Robert Pearce said the 70-year-old former school principal committed a "very grave breach of trust". What's next? Sykes will be eligible for parole after serving half his four-year term. A retired Tasmanian school principal has been sentenced to four years in prison for child sex abuse. WARNING: This story contains details of child sexual abuse. Gary Raymond Sykes was in his mid-sixties when he sexually abused a teenage girl on Flinders Island, 55 kilometres off Tasmania's north-east coast, on multiple occasions between December 2019 and December 2020. The former principal of Flinders Island District High School retired in 2014 but continued to work "periodically" as a relief teacher until the allegations were raised. He pleaded guilty earlier this year. Supreme Court Justice Robert Pearce said Sykes, now 70, had committed a "very grave breach of trust". "There was an extreme discrepancy in age, maturity and power … you were emotionally manipulative," he said. "The level of sexual acts escalated." Justice Pearce noted Sykes was "ashamed" of his actions, which had seen him become estranged from his immediate family. However, he also said Sykes did not stop offending on his own accord. "In this case … the complainant has come to appreciate the wrongfulness of your conduct and found the wherewithal to do something about it," the judge said. He said the victim impact statement demonstrated the "lifelong psychological damage … from crimes of this nature". The judge noted prison "may be difficult" for Sykes due to his age. Sykes showed no emotion as his four-year term was handed down. [Image text:] Est. 1161 Flinders Island District High Schoo Eqlere the ress