A former Catholic school principal didn't tell police about sex abuse complaints against a teacher because he believed "the bishop must not be compromised".
Terence Hayes on Tuesday gave evidence at a hearing of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Brisbane.
He was the principal at a Catholic primary school in Queensland when 13 young girls were sexually abused by teacher Gerard Byrnes in 2007 and 2008.
When the first complaints surfaced in 2007, Mr Hayes said he reported it to his superiors at the Catholic Education Office (CEO), but not to police or child protection officials.
Junior Counsel Assisting Andrew Naylor SC asked why Mr Hayes did not tell authorities, as required by state law and the child protection manual issued to all Catholic schools in the diocese.
"The view that I formed was that principals were of the understanding that the CEO was the first port of call, and that the bishop must not be compromised," Mr Hayes told the hearing.
"The CEO told the principals that they were there to help us; they were the first port of call."
Mr Naylor then asked him why the manual existed if he was not following it.
"That's a question for my superiors, but we were told by our superiors to 'come to us, we would help you, we are the first port of call, we work together'," Mr Hayes said.
Mr Hayes was tried in 2009 for failing to report the abuse to authorities. He was found not guilty because he had told his superiors at the Catholic Education Office.
He no longer works at the school concerned but has taken a job as a grade seven teacher at another Catholic school, north of Brisbane.
The hearing continues.
