Who is Annabel Doust? A former school principal’s sexual misconduct with a student Dean Gray

Annabel Doust is a former school principal who was sacked by the NSW Education Department for having a sexual relationship with a year 12 student in 2013. She was the head teacher at Narrabri and Wee Waa high schools in north-west NSW, and her leadership was once praised in parliament by the local MP.

A tragic discovery

The student, Dean Gray, died in 2021 while camping along the Namoi River with friends. After his death, his mother, Cherina Gray, found thousands of text messages on his Facebook account that showed he had been groomed by Doust, who was 49 at the time. Dean was 17.

The messages revealed that Doust crossed professional boundaries with Dean, expressed jealousy of other girls, and declared her love for him. She also helped him with his school work and gave him high marks.

Cherina Gray said that her son was abused by Annabel Doust and that the relationship had a lasting impact on his mental health and well-being. She said that he suffered from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Name	Annabel Doust
Date of birth	Unknown
Place of birth	Unknown
Education	Unknown
Career	Teacher at Narrabri High School (2008-2018), Principal at Wee Waa High School (2019-2020)
Marital status	Married
Children	Two
Current status	Sacked by NSW Education Department, under police investigation

A long investigation

The Gray family reported the allegations to the NSW Police and the Education Department in 2014, but no charges were laid against Doust. The police said that there was insufficient evidence to prove that a sexual relationship had occurred.

However, in 2022, the Education Department launched a new investigation into Doust’s conduct after receiving new information from the Gray family. The investigation lasted for 12 months and involved interviewing witnesses, examining documents, and analyzing text messages.

The investigation found that Annabel Doust had engaged in a sexual relationship with Dean Gray and breached the department’s code of conduct. She was sacked in September 2023 and placed on the “not to be employed” list, which means she cannot work as a teacher in any NSW public school.

A call for justice

The Gray family welcomed the outcome of the investigation but said that justice had not been fully served. They called for the police to reopen the case and prosecute Doust for sexual abuse. They also contacted the NSW Police Minister, Yasmin Catley, and requested an urgent meeting.

They said that they wanted fresh eyes on the police investigation and that they hoped that the evidence from the Education Department would be enough to support their case. They said that they wanted to see Doust held accountable for her actions and that they wanted to prevent other families from going through what they did.

A controversial figure

Annabel Doust was a controversial figure in the education sector before the scandal broke. She was known for her outspoken views on rural education and her advocacy for Indigenous students. She also clashed with some staff members and parents over her management style and decisions.

In 2019, she was appointed as the principal of Wee Waa High School, where Annabel Doust implemented a number of changes, such as introducing uniforms, banning mobile phones, and enforcing strict discipline. She said that she wanted to improve the academic performance and attendance of the students.

However, some staff members and parents accused her of being authoritarian, disrespectful, and bullying. They said that she created a toxic work environment and ignored their concerns. They also claimed that she favored some students over others and discriminated against some groups.

In 2020, Annabel Doust resigned from her position after an internal review found that she had breached several policies and procedures. She said that she left for personal reasons and that she was proud of her achievements at Wee Waa High School.

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