Geoffrey Noel MacNicol: Katanning’s Braeside Primary School principal admits summer holidays sex offence

A principal at a regional WA primary school has admitted committing a sex offence in the metropolitan area during the summer holidays. Geoffrey Noel MacNicol, of Braeside Primary in Katanning, had his teaching registration cancelled after he was charged with two counts of indecent dealing with a child under 13. It was alleged the incidents occurred in January, in Jindalee in Perth’s north. But in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, those charges were discontinued for want of prosecution, while an early listing for a third charge was heard. The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to that charge of indecent assault, committed in the same coastal suburb on the same two-day date range as previously alleged under the other two charges. He will be sentenced on December 3. A school letter in Term 1 told parents that a retired principal was temporarily replacing MacNicol because the former headmaster was “unable to continue in the position” due to “confidential reasons”. It is understood MacNicol is an Australian Defence Force veteran and moved to Katanning in 2020.