John Thomas Kennett
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Kennett was the Preparatory School
Principal
and Preparatory Boarding Master at The Kinross Wolaroi School
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In June 1996, he was charged with 37 counts of indecent assault
and sexual assault
on no less than twelve boys between 1978 and 1986.
He was convicted
of these charges on September 3, 1998. He was sent to the Junee Correctional Centre
on September 11, 1998 after being sentenced
to a minimum of 8 years in prison
. Six days later, he was found dead in his cell after allegedly being beaten and having his head stomped on by fellow inmate(s). Harold Robinson was charged and convicted of Kennett's murder
four times and each conviction was subsequently overturned. Robinson finally walked free on November 6, 2006.
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
Principal
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
and Preparatory Boarding Master at The Kinross Wolaroi School
Kinross Wolaroi School
Kinross Wolaroi School is an independent, Uniting church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Orange, a provincial city west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In June 1996, he was charged with 37 counts of indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
and sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
on no less than twelve boys between 1978 and 1986.
He was convicted
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
of these charges on September 3, 1998. He was sent to the Junee Correctional Centre
Junee Correctional Centre
Junee Correctional Centre is a medium security Australian male prison located at Junee, 40 km from Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.The prison was opened on 19 March 1993...
on September 11, 1998 after being sentenced
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to a minimum of 8 years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. Six days later, he was found dead in his cell after allegedly being beaten and having his head stomped on by fellow inmate(s). Harold Robinson was charged and convicted of Kennett's murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
four times and each conviction was subsequently overturned. Robinson finally walked free on November 6, 2006.