The mother of a teenage boy who claims he was assaulted by a group of students from Scots College says he’s been left “shaken” and bruised after the alleged attack.
Police are investigating the incident which unfolded in bushes near Woollahra Golf Club, Rose Bay, on Saturday afternoon.
It allegedly involved a group of boys from Scots College, an elite private school at Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Footage shared on Snapchat showed the 17-year-old boy walking through a “human tunnel” while being pushed, slapped and verbally abused.
His mother, Trish, said he later managed to escape and call for help.
“He’s obviously shaken, but I don’t even know what to say,” the mum told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Monday.
“When you get a phone call when you’re at work, (and) it’s your son screaming and telling you what had happened, to be honest I couldn’t believe it.”
She said her son was “chased by a number of boys” as he tried to get away from the park.
“A lady who was a guardian angel took him to her house and he waited there until police arrived.”
Asked about the event, Trish said it was a “tradition” among senior boys at the school.
“From what I have researched it was called, ‘Bob 2025,’ it seems to be some type of a tradition with year 10 to 12 boys – they do it twice a year, it’s like a coming of age.”
She said her son was “only given the address on the morning of the event, he got there late because he was coming from work”.
“He was lured there and he was pressured into going. They old him there was an expectation for him to be there, he needed to be there to offer support.
“When he got there he was set upon by this group. They handed him a flag and they ridiculed him, poured beer over him, his hair, pulled his shirt.”
Trish said there were “bruises all over him” and the boys had “just absolutely humiliated him, laughing and taunting him, calling him disgusting names”.
In a statement to 2GB, Scots College Principal Dr Ian Lambert said he was “disappointed and disgusted” but it was inappropriate to comment further given the incident was the subject of a police investigation.
On Monday morning, Trish said she’d yet to hear from Dr Lambert, though the head of the senior school had contacted her on Sunday.
“I sent the videos to three members of teaching staff, one was Dr Lambert who hasn’t replied or reached out to me,” she said.
“The head of senior school has and said he’s willing to work with some detectives to name some of the boys in this clip.”
The mum claimed that the “education system has lost the ability to discipline and teach respect and accountability”.
“Where do these minors get off treating someone like this?” she asked.
“What are we teaching our boys when this is ok? It’s not ok.”
Scots, founded in 1893, charged tuition fees of $25,000 and $46,000 per student from Kindergarten to Year 12 in 2024.
News.com.au has contacted Scots College for comment.
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