A royal commission has heard conflicting evidence about whether former Knox Grammar headmaster Ian Paterson groped a schoolgirl during a musical rehearsal at the school.
One witness AUE, a former student at the school, grope her.
He said the assault happened as Ms Perry, then known as Lucy Schaffler, walked off the stage.
"As she completed her walk, when she turned around Dr Paterson hit her on the buttocks but I would not call it a pat, because his hand stayed there", he said.
Brian Buggy, who was musical director at the school and who handled the orchestra in that production said he never saw it happen.
"It would have been out of character for him and would have been, you know, the gossip around the school", Mr Buggy, who is now musical director of the Sydney orchestra, said.
AUE said he saw Lucy jump out of Dr Paterson's grasp and give a small scream of surprise.
He said some of the boys laughed " I don't think that the laughter was in full support of Dr Paterson, I think it was more nervous".
Mr Buggy was at Knox between 1975 and 2008 and said he would have been at musical rehearsals every day.
At full dress rehearsals he would have been upstage looking at the actors.
Mr Buggy said he had never seen Dr Paterson touch anyone inappropriately "in Guys and Dolls or any of the 23 musicals I worked with him on".
In reply to David Lloyd, counsel assisting the commission he said there were times when his eyes weren't on the stage.
Mr Buggy said he regarded Dr Paterson as an enlightened educator and a caring adult and he would have expected to have been told if something of "the sort Ms Perry says occurred did happen".
AUE said he was 90 per cent sure at the time he had witnessed a sexual assault.
When asked by counsel for Dr Paterson why he had not reported it AUE said the only avenue to report was through the headmaster .... it's difficult when he is the perpetrator."
He also said he did not discuss it with Lucy Perry at the time and had come forward now because of media reports.
Mr Lloyd said the appearance of Dr Paterson had been delayed as had that of former school council chairman Justice Morris Ireland. Justice Ireland was undergoing medical assessment, Mr Lloyd said.
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