What utter nonsense. I attended the school for 3 years, 3 of the worst years of my life. Teachers tolerated bullying, name calling, physical abuse. About time Farrer gained some negative publicity. David Gregory was eccentric, and full of qualities that should have been celebrated, no condemned.

It is very easy for people to say "Why didn't the boy just leave school" and "He can't blame his problems on the school". I suggest people who have not heard the full story with-hold judgment until the full evidence in the case has been completed. Certainly, that is what the Judge will do. I have been fortunate enough to be able to attend the court each day and make my own assessment of the evidence so far. Suffice it to say, the case is not going well for Farrer.

The 'Farrer Family' needs to have a good look at itself. The comments made above are nonsense. I was also there when David Gregory was and he was treated so badly, and in the presence of teachers who did absolutely nothing. Well done Farrer! Hardly what I would call a family environment. I'd never send my children there.

Ohhh yawn. None of this surprises me. Bullying in the same sex high schools of Tamworth has been going on for years. Talk to any Farrer old boy or another “certain school” old girl and they will have some stories for you. I know, because I went to one of these schools and saw it all. Some teachers want to stop it, but are powerless to say anything. Why not?

I attended Farrer from 1990 to 95 & had the best time of my life! I am a proud ex student of Farrer! I know bullying & violence is a serious issue but why didn't David leave if he felt threatened & why didn't he make these claims 12 years ago? I thought that the Teachers were doing a great job of kerbing bullying & violence. It's a shame that he is bringing such a great school name like Farrer's Down!

I totally agree with Richard, the Farrer "family"are all aware of the systematic bullying that has been in place for decades, just because you survived it, doesn't give you any moral high ground to judge this man. The teachers were adults, why didn't they take a stand against the conditions David was experiencing? Who did help him? Are there no "proud old boys" who can put up their hand?

I am also part of the Farrer Family but I am not wearing rose coloured glasses and sticking my head in the sand like many others. Your children may not have been humiliated and bullied but I am sure if you ask your boys they know someone who was.My son an OLD BOY was picked on at the beginning of his time there 2001 til 2007.I don't beleive in fighting however I have always encouraged my son to defend himself when needed.Because he stood up to the thugs and couldn't be intimidated he was left alone.He was one of the fortunate ones.I have spent 20 years watching work mates children pass through Farrer.Your would be shocked to hear some of the stories I have heard during that time.My son interveened on numerous occasions for those unable or to frightened to defend themselves.My son has since bumped into some of the thugs from his time to find they are still the same drop kicks that they were back then.Open yours eyes and ears and you will be shocked what you hear.I believe Farrer is a good school and my son has turned iout to be a good,kind,caring and moral man.I do credit some of that to Farrer however I believe his home life was the biggest contributing factor in this.

My son was at Farrer from 2002-07 and a boarder. He had great times and bad times there. My daughter went to an all girls school. She had great times at her school and some of the worst. At one stage I looked at pulling her out but she didn't want to go and she stayed till the end. The thing I learnt about all schools though this time, is that schools will suit some children and they will blossom; while others will wilt within the same environment. That every school experience is going to be different. No two children in a family are the same and need different things to make their life work. No matter where your child goes to school, you as the parent need to be there. I know as a broader parent that it is a hundred times harder to be a hands on parent but that just means that you need to be more available, more hands on, more a parent to your child and you need to be a different parent to each of your children. Like 'Realistic Mum' my son had a similar experience at Farrer and like Realistic Mum, it is as much the home life that has created these young men as the contribution of the school that has turned our son's into the Farrer Gentlemen that we have today.

As a former Feccy, the name given to Refertory workers at Farrer I can assure you that the Sack system was very much alive and well at Farrer during the 15 years I was employed there. One particular incident that I haev never forgotten was when a young Yr 7 boy who, and I fail to understand why he was so cruelly treated because of his condition, was unusall small in stature for his age. One evening this boy did not at all his meal which is his perogative. However some senior students, I presume Year 12 students took it upon themselves to virtually force feed this boy until he could take no more. Where did this insidious act occur. In the Refectory in full view of the teachers who were positioned on the "teachers stage" where they were supposedly to overseee the boys and ensure that corrrect behaviour occurred. Not only did these fine upstanding well educated gentlemen fail to act some actually encouraged this bastardisation. Could I suggest that should such behaviouroccur outside the hallowed corridors of Farrer then the perpetrators would be removed from the school or even face, and correctly so, criminal charges. But then again maybe I am wrong and jsudging Farrer to harshly, after when confronted with the reality of what was happening within the confines of the 'gentlemen farmers" school the then Principal simply replied and I quote, "Boys will be boys".

Leave and go where?We didn't know half the forms of abuse my brother went through...he was at the school the same time as this young man and suffered similar forms of abuse.He never told us as he was afraid and embaressed. I went to the sister school and was both a day girl and boarder.I witnessed serveral incidents travelling on the bus by fellow farrer students to both my brother and other students who didn't have the self esteem and personalities to defend themselves. The school has a duty of care to these boys, just because they are boys does not mean they have to protect themselves from vile and abusive acts. What I wonder is how can you as a person belittle someone, abuse them(lets be honest here, some forms of abuse which cannot be named would leave you feeling revolted) and make someone elses life a misery. Do these people ever think back to what they did to another student in high school?Or have they gone on their merry way.I know if something like this happens in the workforce it is taken very seriously but because you aren't an adult, its just kids having fun? I myself had a great time at my school but mainly due to my personality where I was mentally and physically able to defend myself, so the bullies knew to leave me alone and I know that in the future when my child attends high school, the first sign of trouble and I will be onto it. Personally I hope the school gets sued to the full extent.It would make my day.