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Babysitter's son abused children
November 10, 2006 12:00am
THE son of a childcare operator who sexually abused children in his mother'scare has been jailed for a minimum of four-and-a-half years.
The 21-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, abused 11children over a six-year period at his Melbourne home, where his mother ran aday-care program. He was aged between 13 and 19 at the time and thechildren ranged in age from two to 10 years old. Some were from the samefamily. The court also heard he maintained a sexual relationship withtwo boys and two girls aged between three and 10 for up to two-and-a-half years. The man pleaded guilty to 14 charges, including maintaining a sexualrelationship with a child under 16, committing an indecent act, and sexualpenetration of a child under 16. Today a Victorian County Court judgesaid the man had been bullied at school and grew up resenting the children inhis house. "You hated the fact your home was filled with other people'schildren in your mother's care, you yearned to be alone," the judge said. One psychologist suggested the man abused the children, of both sexes,more out of anger than sexual desire, though another said the strong sexualelement could not be ignored. The man pleaded guilty to sexuallypenetrating a child, nine charges of performing an indecent act on a child andfour counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child. AMelbourne council took three years to suspend the contract childcare workerafter first receiving complaints about her son. Today in court, parentsof the victims cried as the sentence was read out and continued hugging andcrying outside the courtroom. The man was jailed for a maximum eightyears and six months and must complete a sexual offenders rehabilitation programbefore he is eligible for parole. He will also be placed on the state'ssexual offenders register on his release
Police accused of sex assault get committal hearing date
ABC Premium News. Sydney:Nov 9, 2006. p. 1
Two policemen from Queensland's Sunshine Coast charged with sexual assaultwill
have to wait until March next year to see if their case will go to trial.
It is alleged the pair assaulted three women in the Maroochydore policewatch-
house last year.
They have also been charged with official corruption, misuse of office and
common assault.
Magistrate Tom Killeen yesterday scheduled their committal hearing in the
Maroochydore Magistrates Court.
It will be held on March 5 next year.
Mother jailed for child sex
Leonie LamontNovember 10, 2006
WHAT had happened was all too clear. The photos were unforgettable.
Unforgettable for a young man who found the computer disk of hisnine-year-old sister in sexually exploitative and explicit acts with his motherand her husband. He handed the disk to police.
Unforgettable for the judge, who in sentencing the mother and her husband to11 and 13 years in jail, remarked he had not re-examined the images, as he didnot want to be influenced by a natural feeling of disgust.
In the process of the police investigation, the carefully catalogued photocollection of the nudist couple unearthed two more victims, and anotheroffender. The third offender, aged 53, is due to be sentenced in Downing CentreDistrict Court next week. The names of the offenders have been suppressed toprotect the identity of the victims.
In the District Court at Penrith, Judge William Knight said it was a "rarecase where a natural mother commits offences of this nature against her ownchild".
The two, now aged 40 and 46, pleaded guilty to 98 charges relating to thenine-year-old girl, and two teenagers. The charges included multiple counts ofsexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10, acts of indecency, andusing a child under 14 for pornographic purposes.
While most offences occurred at the mother's home in regional NSW, some wereperpetrated in the child's bedroom while she was visiting the Far WestChildren's Home in Manly. In some photos the girl was naked, in others she wasdressed in a negligee, or miniskirt and boots. The mother photographed herdaughter and the husband in sexual acts, and took part in the acts.
Judge Knight said that because of the guilty pleas, and the fact the twowould spend their sentence in protective custody, he would discount theirsentences.
He recommended the woman be eligible for parole in October 2013, and the manin 2014.
'Serial sex monster' acquitted
November 10, 2006 12:00
A MAN described in the Western Australian Parliament as a serial sex monsterhas been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
Gary Narkle, 51, stood trial in the District Court of Western Australia onfive counts of sexual penetration without consent of a 16-year-old girl atArmadale, in Perth's south-east, in May 2005.
Mr Narkle has always denied committing the offences and did not give evidenceat the trial, which was tried by a judge alone.
Today, Judge Kevin Sleight acquitted Mr Narkle of all charges.
It was alleged Mr Narkle had followed the teenager, grabbed her and pushedher to the ground in a church car park before sexually assaulting her.
In his judgment, Judge Sleight said the victim, a chronic paint sniffer whosuffered fits, was not a convincing witness.
She had been sniffing paint during the day of the alleged offence, he said.
"In my view a person affected by paint sniffing is more likely to raise anunfounded allegation out of anger, petty jealousy or some other unapparentreason," Judge Sleight said.
The victim had also declined to undertake medical testing which might haveproven Mr Narkle had sexually assaulted her, he said.
"The failure of the complainant to submit for a medical examination raises inmy mind serious doubt as to whether she is telling the truth," he said.
The victim had also not complained to police until four days after thealleged incident.
Mr Narkle is also facing unrelated indecent assault charges and has beenbailed to reappear in the Perth Magistrates Court next year.
Attorney-General Jim McGinty told Parliament on May 18 last year that Narklewas a serial sex monster with a "dangerous and severe personalitydisorder".
Child porn case against Power adjourned
November 7, 2006 - 11:45AM
A child pornography case against NSW prosecutor Patrick Power has beenadjourned until December.
The NSW Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor, Patrick Power SC is charged withpossessing child pornography.
The 54-year-old was arrested on July 6 this year after an explicit videoallegedly was found on a personal computer he brought into his work forrepairs.
Power has stood himself down from his position and taken leave while his caseis heard.
David Giddy, for Power, sought, and was granted, an adjournment of the casein Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.
Deputy Registrar Paul Morgan set the matter down to be heard again onDecember 12.
Power did not appear in court and was excused from appearing on the nextoccasion.
Teacher 'deserved prison for molestation'
By Suzanne Klotz
November 09, 2006 02:38pm
A FORMER north Queensland high school teacher should have been jailed forsexually molesting one of his female students, the Queensland Court of Appealwas told today.
Steven Peter Quick, 28, of Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast, was sentenced toa wholly suspended 18-month jail term and A 12-month intensive correction orderafter he pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court in August to charges ofindecent dealing and taking an indecent image of a child.
The 14-year-old girl had developed a crush on Quick, who taught hermathematics at a school in Collinsville, a mining town 270km north-west ofMackay.
Quick allowed the relationship to develop and visited the girl at her homeduring September school holidays in 2004.
The pair went for a drive and Quick later videotaped himself fondling andsucking the girl's breasts.
Quick continued to email and text message the girl until her fatherdiscovered some images of the pair on his daughter's computer.
Quick also sent her an SMS threatening to harm her if she didn't lie to theauthorities about what he did.
Barrister Peter Davis SC, for the Attorney-General, argued before the Courtof Appeal that Quick should have served actual jail time of up to six months forthe offences.
Mr Davis said the sentencing judge had put too much weight on Quick'scircumstances, including his remorse and the fact that he suffered from a majordepressive order which had started before the abuse.
Mr Davis said the child was forced to leave the school after being bulliedabout the relationship and was left a social outcast.
Chief Justice Paul de Jersey, who headed the three-member Court of Appealpanel, said the issue was whether the facts compelled imprisonment.
"Taking into account the gross breach of trust, the age disparity, the videowithout consent, and the threats afterwards, the issue is whether that compelsimprisonment," Chief Justice de Jersey said.
The court reserved its decision in the matter.
Doctor who sexually assaulted friend loses appeal over visa
Kate McClymont. Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, N.S.W.:Nov 10, 2006. p. 8
A STRUCK-OFF doctor in jail for sexual offences is fighting attempts to have
him deported.
Malaysian-born Vickneswaran Rajaratnam, 38, who will be considered for parole
next month, has lost his appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal tostop
the Department of Immigration cancelling his resident return visa.
In 1996 Rajaratnam, then a doctor at Liverpool Hospital, was arrested after
administering a stupefying drug to a friend, telling her that she needed tobe
vaccinated before taking an overseas trip.
While the woman was unconscious, the doctor sexually assaulted her and filmed
It was alleged that a week later, despite his bail conditions preventing him
approaching the woman, Rajaratnam went to her house with five litres of
hydrochloric acid. He was alleged to have told her he had brought the acid to
pour on her face and then planned to strangle her.
Although Rajaratnam was acquitted of the charge relating to the hydrochloric
acid, he was jailed in 2000 over the other offences. After an appeal, he was
given a four-year sentence for sexual intercourse without consent, five years
for administering a stupefying drug in order to commit the assault, and six
months for indecent assault.
Rajaratnam became eligible for parole in February, but because of his failure
to undergo a sex offenders' program in jail he remains imprisoned in LongBay.
In June the Department of Immigration told him his visa was being cancelled
because of his substantial criminal record. During his appeal to the tribunal
Rajaratnam described the assault as an "unfortunate" incident and said therisk
of his reoffending was minimal.
In handing down his decision last week upholding the department's decision to
cancel Rajaratnam's visa, the tribunal's deputy president, Julian Block,said:
"The Australian community as a whole would be largely unanimous in its
repugnance of conduct by a doctor who takes drugs unlawfully from thehospital
by which he is employed, in order to administer them to someone who trustshim,
under the pretence of vaccinating her and in order to procure sexual
Danger keeps rapist in jail
The Courier - Mail. Brisbane, Qld.:Nov 9, 2006. p. 16
ANOTHER Queensland inmate has been kept in jail past his full- time release
date because there were inadequate plans in place for his post-prison life.
Nigel Patrick Robinson, 27, was due to be released on Saturday after serving
nine years for the knifepoint rape of a 19-year-old woman he stalked from a
Gympie shopping centre and the subsequent indecent assault of a nine-year-old
girl he approached in a Gympie schoolyard.
But Supreme Court Justice Ann Lyons has ruled Robinson still poses a serious
danger to the community if released and ordered he be detained in custody.
The order, following an application by the Attorney-General, will be reviewed
in 12 months' time.
Chief among Justice Lyons's concerns was Robinson's proposed plans post-jail
and the draft supervision order that would have governed him were "woefully
Robinson cannot return to live at his parents' Gympie home because of its
proximity to the school where the girl was attacked. The home was deemed
"unsuitable" by authorities.
The prisoner indicated he would instead try to get accommodation in either
Beaudesert or Toowoomba, where he planned to live in a caravan at the back of
the home of a person he had not met.
Justice Lyons said there was "no evidence of any social network or support
other than the Department of Corrective Services".
Justice Lyons also cited concerns that Robinson had not had a good employment
record nor developed any real work skills, had never lived independentlybefore
going to prison and had no strategies to deal with budgeting difficulties.
The court heard the prisoner had a history of behaviour breaches in jail.
Justice Lyons urged Robinson to put in place a realistic plan for hisrelease.
Former cricket umpire on child sex charges
A FORMER international cricket umpire will face court in Brisbane today on 12child sex charges.
The man is alleged to have indecently assaulted the four complainants ondifferent occasions between 1974 and 1998.
The offences against the two 14-year-old males are alleged to have occurredin 1974 and the two 16-year-old females in 1983 and 1998.
In relation to one 14-year-old, the man has been charged with five counts ofindecent assault on a male under 14 and four sodomy offences.
The man, who cannot be identified under Queensland law, has been charged withone count of indecent assault against the other 14-year-old boy.
He has also been charged with one count each of indecent assault on a femalein relation to both 16-year-old girls.
He will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today.
'I was told about abuse claim'
By Simon Benson, Edith Bevin and AAP
THE Labor child sex scandal has widened, with MP John Mills confirming TheDaily Telegraph's revelations that he was approached in 1997 by a father whobelieved his son had been abused.
Dumped state Aboriginal affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos was this weekcharged with 30 drug and sex offences relating to two teenage boys.
Mr Orkopoulos, who maintains he is innocent, has been thrown out of the LaborParty and Premier Morris Iemma wants him to quit as MP for the Hunter-based seatof Swansea.
The Telegraph reported today that in 1997 the father of a 15-year-old boyapproached Mr Mills, the MP for Wallsend, with claims of inappropriate behaviourby Mr Orkopoulos.
In a statement today, Mr Mills said he had searched his electorate officerecords and discovered a note which said a man had spoken to his staff in 1997.
He said the note did not indicate if the man had identified an allegedoffender and stated that the man had already reported the matter to police.
The note said the man had said he was unhappy with the response he hadreceived from police and had left the office without leaving a telephone contactnumber.
"I am happy to assist NSW Police with any further inquiries they may have andintend to provide them with a copy of this file note today," Mr Mills said.
Mr Mills said Jillian Sneddon, an electorate officer for Mr Orkopoulos, hadnever approached him with any allegations about Mr Orkopoulos.
A police factsheet tendered to Newcastle Local Court this week stated MsSneddon had informed a member of the ALP when one of Orkopoulos' alleged victimscomplained to her about sexual abuse.
The Australian newspaper today quoted her as saying she "went to a memberof parliament I trust and I still trust him".
Meanwhile, the Premier Morris Iemma has all but admitted he knew of rumoursabout Orkopoulos well before the scandal became public. Mr Iemma spokeat Westmead Hospital after opening a new $34 million wing – proof, he said, thathe was getting on with the business of Government despite the latest "trouble". But the publicity stunt went wrong when the Premier agreed to talk tomedia after the opening. Grilled about when he first knew of the allegedcriminal actions of his minister and why he didn't move sooner, Mr Iemma said"you can't act on rumours". "I am not going to go around speculating onrumours about people and that is my position. "I am not going to engagein a running commentary now about rumours and innuendo." But asked "soyou had heard rumours?" he verbally stumbled, flushed and stuttered beforereverting to his prepared answer to all questions relating to Orkopoulos. "The simple fact of the matter is the matter has been the subject of aninvestigation, charges have been laid and there's a court proceeding takingplace," Mr Iemma said. "I am not going to do is say anything thatinterferes with the court process or police investigation."
Second sex scandal hits NSW government
November 10, 2006 12:15pm
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NSW Police have reopened investigations into child sex abuse allegationsagainst a Hunter Valley man following the arrest of NSW Labor MP MiltonOrkopoulos on similar charges.
Parliamentary and government circles were abuzz last night with rumoursanother Labor MP was being investigated about child sex abuse allegations. The Seven Network reported that a Newcastle mother had told police aLabor Party figure sexually abused her children. The network said thewoman claimed to have reported the matter to the police and that theinvestigation was not yet complete. The man concerned had denied theallegations, Seven said. Following rumours someone with links to theLabor Party was being investigated about child abuse allegations, policeconfirmed late last night they had reopened their inquiries into a Caves Beachman. "NSW police will seek further information into a child sexualassault investigation involving a 62-year-old male ... which was suspendedearlier this year,'' a police statement said. "In late July 2006 a fourmonth investigation was suspended due to insufficient information, however,police will attempt to seek further information in light of recent events.'' Mr Orkopoulos, at the centre of the allegations which emerged yesterday,has vowed to fight charges he supplied two teenage boys with drugs and paid oneof them for sex. He has been suspended from the Labor Party, will beformally expelled within a week, and NSW Premier Morris Iemma has made it clearhe wants him to resign from parliament. Mr Iemma has vowed tough actionagainst any member of his government or party found to have covered up child sexallegations against Mr Orkopoulos. He yesterday sacked Mr Orkopoulos asAboriginal Affairs Minister after he was arrested and charged with 30 drug andsex offences. Mr Iemma today said he wanted Mr Orkopoulos and anyone whoknew of the allegations out of parliament. "I want him out of theparliament,'' he told reporters. "If it touches on anybody else in mygovernment, I want them out of the government and I (don't) want them in thesame party as the party I'm in.'' A police fact sheet tendered in courtyesterday said one of the alleged victims complained about Orkopoulos to JillianSnedden, a member of his electorate office staff, in October 2005. MsSnedden allegedly told an ALP member about the complaint and the member latertold her he had referred the matter to police and the state's corruptionwatchdog. No such complaint was ever officially recorded, police said. An ICAC spokeswoman would not comment except to confirm the policestatement was correct, and that "it was not an MP who complained to ICAC''. Opposition Leader Peter Debnam today said the authorities mustinvestigate the suggestions that someone in the government failed to report theallegations against Mr Orkopoulos. There had been rumours in parliamentfor two or three weeks that a minister had been under investigation by thepolice, Mr Debnam said. NSW Labor Party general secretary Mark Arbibtoday said he did not know the identity of the party members allegedly referredto by electorate officer in the complaint against Orkopoulos. "I have noknowledge of that and I think it's important that the government gets to thebottom of that as well as the law enforcement authorities,'' Mr Arbib told AAP. Mr Iemma's chief-of-staff Mike Kaiser was told on Monday that policewere investigating Orkopoulos but Mr Iemma was not informed until Tuesday night. Mr Iemma dismissed the timing of his notification as "not relevant'',saying he had been busy with cabinet and the federal water summit. ButMr Debnam said it was "inconceivable'' that Mr Iemma was not told about theallegations earlier. Deputy Premier and Police Minister John Watkinsbecame aware on Monday that police were investigating serious allegationsagainst Mr Orkopoulos. Mr Watkins said he was not told the nature of theallegations, but it had been "appropriate'' for him to know Orkopoulos was beinginvestigated by police. "As minister for police I'm briefed on a wholerange of confidential and security matters almost every day by NSW,'' he said. Mr Watkins declined to say if he had previously heard rumours a ministerwas being investigated by police. Mr Iemma gave assurances that thepolice investigation would be free from any interference from the government,and ruled out an internal ALP probeMeanwhile, Nathan Rees, a formerchief-of-staff to Mr Orkopoulos and now the Labor candidate for Toongabbie, hadassured Mr Iemma he knew nothing about the allegations against his former boss,a spokesman for Mr Iemma said.Mr Rees works for Mr Iemma as an adviserand also worked for former premier Bob Carr.
Minister apologises over appointment
November 10, 2006 12:13pm
TASMANIAN Health and Human Services Minister Lara Giddings today apologisedto victims of child abuse for appointing an interim child commissioner who hadpreviously worked at a boys home where abuse occurred.
Dennis Daniels quit the position last night, two days after he was appointed,amid revelations he had worked at the notorious Wybra Hall, identified by theombudsman as one of the worst perpetrators of abuse.
Ms Giddings said she was "deeply saddened" by the event and had taken actionas soon as she became aware of an issue with the appointment.
"I understand the distress of victims of child abuse and I am very sorry thatthey have been caused further distress," she said.
"Once it was recognised that it was not in the interests of the community tohave the position of independent commissioner for children undermined, MrDaniels offered to withdraw and I respect his decision."
The resignation comes just two days after the Government released fourreports showing serious failings within the child protection system.
Ms Giddings said another interim commissioner would be found while the searchcontinued for a permanent replacement for outgoing commissioner David Fanning.
"While it is extremely disappointing that this has happened, it is vital thatthis does not act as a distraction from the crucial work that needs to be doneto improve our child protection system," she said.
Teenager sexually assaulted
November 10, 2006 10:30am
A TEENAGE girl was sexually assaulted in the toilets of a north easternsuburbs shopping centre yesterday.
The assault happened at Tea Tree Plaza, Tea Tree Gully, between 2pm and2.30pm, and police are asking for anyone who can identify the people involved tocontact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Iemma vows punishment amid more reports
By Peter Jean and Amy Coopes
November 10, 2006 12:05am
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has vowed tough action against any member of hisGovernment or party found to have covered up child sex allegations against LaborMP Milton Orkopoulos.
Mr Iemma sacked Mr Orkopoulos as Aboriginal Affairs Minister after he wasarrested and charged with 30 drug and sex offences.
Parliamentary and government circles were abuzz last night with rumoursanother Labor MP was being investigated about child sex abuse allegations.
The Seven Network reported that a Newcastle mother had told police a LaborParty figure sexually abused her children.
The network said the woman claimed to have reported the matter to the policeand that the investigation was not yet complete.
The man concerned had denied the allegations, Seven said.
Without referring directly to the rumours, police said late tonight they werereopening a child sexual assault investigation in light of recent events.
Mr Orkopoulos has vowed to fight charges he supplied two teenage boys withdrugs and paid one of them for sex.
He has been suspended from the Labor Party, will be formally expelled withina week and Mr Iemma has made it clear he wants him to resign from Parliament.
Last Update: Wednesday, November 8, 2006. 8:22pm (AEDT)
Time frame to fix child protection system 'unacceptable'
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says a five-year Tasmaniangovernment time line to fix the child protection system is unacceptable.
Four reports released today expose serious failures in the system.
The Government has promised to recruit 20 staff to deal with almost 1,500unallocated cases of reported neglect.
The CPSU's state secretary, Tom Lynch, says the problem will only get biggerif it is not addressed urgently.
"What I hoped would come out of today was a plan that started tomorrow, thatwould be a commitment from the Tasmanian Government that we're not going to havean unallocated list," Mr Lynch said.
"That children would be safer in Tasmania, that they would set down targetsfor when that list would be cleared up, and that we'd be able to get on withrunning the system like it should be.
"I'm severely disappointed we haven't got that."
14-year-old 'attacked 16 women in month'
By Stephen Johnson
November 09, 2006 12:00
A TEENAGER riding a pushbike raped a woman three times on the same night heindecently assaulted two other females, a court was told yesterday.
The Darwin boy, who turns 15 in three weeks, is alleged to have attacked 16women, aged from 19 to 48, during August.
The prosecution case says the attacks took place in the Darwin suburbs ofNightcliff, Casuarina and Jingili over two weeks.
The teenager appeared in Darwin Youth Justice Court yesterday to face threerape charges, two counts of attempted sexual intercourse, 10 indecent assaultcharges, 11 aggravated assault charges, two counts of using violence to stealand one count of depriving someone of their liberty.
A 36-year-old woman riding her bike down Trower Rd at Casuarina was allegedlyraped on August 21 after the boy grabbed her handbag, the court heard.
She was anally raped when she rode after him into the grounds of CasuarinaSenior College, the court was told.
The woman's 46-year-old flatmate told court he heard her "uncontrolled"crying when she arrived home about 10.15pm (ACST).
The alleged victim's 31-year-old boss - who arrived at the house after theflatmate called her - told the court the woman underestimated the boy's physicalstrength.
Earlier that night, a 24-year-old university student was allegedly grabbedafter she walked to Nightcliff's Aralia St shops to buy cigarettes. The womantold the court the boy rode up to her and firmly grabbed her buttock after shewalked away from the shop.
"I didn't want to appear to be afraid," she told court. "I was angry at whathe had done to me."
She called police after returning home but decided to pursue him by carthrough Nightcliff when she became frustrated with the slow response, the courtheard.
She told court she later came face to face with the boy at the BP servicestation in Nightcliff and said the boy rode towards her car as she followed himto Coconut Grove.
A 40-year-old woman, looking for a friend's Grevillea St house in Nightcliffafter her yoga class, told the court the boy rode up to her and hit her leftbreast.
"Then he said to me 'have you been messing with my sister at the bus stop',"she said. "I said 'I don't know your sister'."
The boy, who faces 25 charges, has been in custody since he was arrested inAugust.
The five-day committal hearing before Magistrate Dick Wallace will hearevidence from 107 witnesses and resumes today.
Family's rape terror: Jail for attacker
November 09, 2006 01:15am
A REMORSELESS rapist, who attacked a woman while her child slept next to her,has been jailed for four years.
Trevor Lawrence Headon was found guilty by a District Court jury of threecounts of rape, one of aggravated serious criminal trespass and one ofthreatening life.
In April last year, the 28-year-old broke into a house at Paralowie, armedwith a small knife. He went into the front bedroom. In sentencing yesterday,Judge Dean Clayton said Headon's victim and one of her children were asleep inthat room at the time.
He said Headon menaced the woman first with the small knife, then with alarger blade taken from her kitchen, before she ran screaming into the street.
"You caught her, put the knife to her throat, grabbed her by the jaw andlifted her up," he said. "You told her to be quiet or you would slice open herjugular and leave her lying, bleeding, on the ground."
Judge Clayton said Headon took the woman back inside and, despite her pleas,raped her three times.
He fled when one of the women's children woke up and saw him.
Judge Clayton said Headon had an "appalling" criminal history but no recordof violence or sex offences.
There was an "absence of any remorse or contrition" on his part, JudgeClayton said.
He sentenced Headon to nine years and two months' jail, with a four-yearnon-parole period.
Trevor Lawrence Headon
November 09, 2006 01:15am
Article from: The Advertiser
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Settled by His Honour Judge Clayton - 08/11/06
In the District Court of South Australia
Criminal Jurisdiction
Adelaide Wednesday, 8 November 2006 before His Honour Judge Clayton
No. 960/2005 R v TREVOR LAWRENCE HEADON
Charges: Aggravated serious criminal trespass in a place of residence /threatening life / rape (3)
TREVOR LAWRENCE HEADON, you have been found guilty by a jury of the offencesof aggravated serious criminal trespass in a place of residence, threateninglife and three counts of rape.
For the offences of aggravated serious criminal trespass and rape, themaximum penalty is life imprisonment.
For the offence of threatening life, the maximum penalty at the relevant timewas imprisonment for ten years.
You were formerly in a relationship with the victim. She is the mother of twochildren by you. You separated in May 2003.
She told you that the relationship was over. For reasons which I need notexplore at the moment, she was at pains to avoid any contact with you.
She applied for a restraining order on 1 December 2003.
She moved to a new address so that you would not know where she lived.
You gave evidence at the trial.
The jury obviously did not accept your evidence.
I must sentence you on the basis of the evidence which gave rise to theconvictions.
The offences were committed on 27 April 2005.
You had been drinking heavily.
You went uninvited to the house at Paralowie where the victim and the twochildren were living.
The victim was asleep in her bed in the front bedroom; one of the childrenwas asleep next to her.
She was awakened by a noise. When she opened her eyes she saw you standingthere close to her.
You were holding a small knife in your right hand.
You said to the victim 'Get the fuck up'. She refused.
You repeated the command. She requested you to get out of the bedroom whileshe dressed and you replied 'I'm not going anywhere'.
You continued to tell her 'to get the fuck up'.
She did get up and put on some tracksuit pants. She walked into thekitchen.
You followed, put the small knife on the bench and picked up a largeblack-handled knife.
As you did that she ran out of the front door screaming 'Help me'. She randown the road about 100 metres.
You caught her, put the knife to her throat, grabbed her by the jaw andlifted her up. You had your left hand over her nose and with your right hand youheld the large knife to the left side of her throat.
You lifted her feet off the ground, you told her to be quiet and if shedidn't you would slice open her jugular and leave her bleeding on theground.
She said 'No please no, please no, please don't do this'.
She thought you that were going to kill her, hence the charge of threateninglife. You then forced her to go back to the house.
On the way she was screaming 'Why are you doing this?' and 'Help me', and wascrying.
You walked back into the house, but did not let go of her for the wholedistance. In the conversation that ensued you mentioned that you had seven firstinstance warrants, had been in a high-speed chase and that you had sliced aguy's throat the previous night, that you had punched him while he was bleedingand left him to die. You were pointing the knife towards her.
Despite a struggle, you pulled her tracksuit pants off. She pleaded with younot to rape her. In your own evidence you admitted that there were three acts ofintercourse.
The jury found that they constituted rape. The victim went to the toilet andwent to the shower. Your son woke and recognised you.
You then quickly walked through the kitchen, out the front door anddisappeared into the night. The victim has commented that normally you are quitean intelligent person but that morning you were not making any sense.
She thought you had lost your mind and said that she had not seen you likethat before. She said that she had never seen you that angry before.
You are 28 years of age. Your record of prior offences is appalling. You havehad many convictions in the Children's Court.
In 1999 you were sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to imprisonmentfor 12 months with a nonparole period of four months. On 24 July 2001, asentence of three years imprisonment was suspended on condition that you be ofgood behaviour for three years.
On 30 July 2002, you were convicted in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court ofa number of offences, including breaching the bond that you had entered into on24 July 2001 and were sentenced to three years and eight months imprisonmentwith a nonparole period of seven months from 17 May 2002.
Your history does not include sex offences or offences involving violence.Your offending means that you will spend the prime of your life in prison.
Unless you change your ways and learn to obey the law you face the prospectof spending most of your life in prison.
I have read a report by Dr Jack White, a psychologist. You had a difficultchildhood and family background. You have an Aboriginal heritage. You were in arelationship with the victim of these crimes between 1995 and 2003. You hadthree children, one of whom is now deceased.
The relationship ended as a result of your infidelity. You have not seen yournine-year-old son since 2003 but hope to re-establish a positive relationshipwith him. You have not seen your four-year-old son since 2004. You had anothersignificant relationship between 2004 and 2006.
When you saw Dr White you had not seen that partner for over one month andyou believed that she had ended the relationship.
You have one child by that relationship whom you last saw a few weeksearlier. You did not do well at school. At the age of 7 you were diagnosed withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Your favourite subject was physicaleducation.
Since leaving school you have completed a number of TAFE courses, including afitness leader's course. You have held a number of jobs for short periods.
You were a fitness instructor in 1998 and 1999. You enjoy good physicalhealth. Between the ages of 12 and 17, a chaplain at an Aboriginal ministrysexually abused you. You would like counselling to assist with emotional issueswhich flow from that situation.
You have been a user of alcohol and other drugs, including marijuana,amphetamine, ecstasy, heroin and others. You told Dr White that many of yourprior offences were drug related. The psychological assessment carried out by DrWhite shows that you are of 'low average' intelligence.
The assessment indicated that your psychological make-up was highlyvulnerable to stress and that you experienced significant emotionalinstability.
Dr White noted you would cope poorly with past traumas with the consequencethat you probably abused drugs and alcohol as a way of dealing with youremotions. Dr White's opinion is that the events that took place in April 2005were likely to be a consequence of you acting out dysfunctionally afterconsuming significant amounts of drug and alcohol.
There is a period of unexpired parole of five months and two days. You mustserve the unexpired balance of your parole before any sentence which I imposecan commence.
You were taken into custody for the present offences on 25 August 2005, thatis 14 months and 14 days ago. I have read a pre-sentence report. You appear tohave made a good impression upon the author. You told the author that you havecompleted a number of employment training initiatives that were undertaken in auniversity bridging program prior to your arrest in 2005.
You have commenced pre-enrolment studies for a Bachelor degree by longdistance education at Deakin University in Victoria. The author formed theimpression that you were emotionally and psychologically prepared for thepenalty that must be imposed and that you have the internal strength to completea sentence of imprisonment and come out a better person.
He formed the view that you have a genuine aptitude for tertiary studies. Hecommented that you have impressed most of the departmental workers you have metas being someone who has genuine potential to make a positive contribution tosociety.
He noted that you had failed to live up to that potential but that yourmessage to him at the interview about your future plans was unambiguous andclearly revolved around the stated intention to make something of your lifestarting from the first day of any sentence.
I hope those expectations are correct. I take into account all the mattersput by your counsel.
The prosecutor argued that the offences were serious. They were.
You must be sentenced on the basis of the evidence of the victim.
Your conduct was uninvited by the victim, premeditated, involved the use ofknives and there were two young children present.
The court has an obligation to protect people in the sanctity of their ownhomes and to protect women from domestic violence.
The offences were committed while you were on parole.
My task is made more difficult by the absence of any demonstration of remorseor contrition on your part.
Each of these offences is a very serious offence. That is demonstrated by themaximum penalties.
I am required to take into account the need for both general and personaldeterrence. I have read and taken into account the victim impact statement whichsets out how the crime has affected the victim and her family.
Since the incident she has suffered from panic attacks and severe depression.She continues to suffer from serious psychiatric problems.
Her life has been significantly affected in many ways. The incident itselfwas a traumatic experience. I propose to treat the five offences as one episodeof criminality and to impose a single sentence pursuant to section 18A of theCriminal Law (Sentencing) Act 1988.
My starting point is a sentence of imprisonment for ten years. I give creditfor the time that you have spent in custody since 25 August 2005 and reduce thatto 8 years, 9 months and 14 days.
You must serve the balance of your unexpired parole of 5 months and 2 days.The sentence of 8 years, 9 months and 14 days will be cumulative upon that andcommence upon the expiry of that sentence.
That is a total head sentence of 9 years, 2 months and 16 days fromtoday.
In fixing a nonparole period I take into account the fact that you have spentone year, two months and 14 days in custody and give credit for that. Because ofyour relative youth and resolve to change your ways I have fixed a shorter thanusual nonparole period.
There will be a nonparole period of 4 years which will commence from today.That is all.
Former coach's sex case adjourned
November 8, 2006
FORMER Warrnambool Seahawks basketball coach Rod Hind yesterday had his caseon sex and pornography charges adjourned until January 23 next year.
Mr Hind, 47, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday for ahearing.
He made a successful application to vary his bail and change his residentialaddress to Jukes Street.
The case was adjourned for a committal mention on January 23. On August 21 hewas charged with sexual penetration of a girl aged between 10 and 16 years andpossessing child pornography.
Mr Hind was arrested at South West Institute of TAFE, where he worked.
Police allege the sex offence took place at TAFE in June and involved ateenage girl.
Offender admits sex acts
GR. Herald. Newcastle, N.S.W.:Nov 7, 2006. p. 13
David Boddy
LENGTHY trial proceedings were avoided yesterday when a man admitted 11 sex
offences against young males and asked that another 32 similar counts betaken
into account on sentence.
David John Boddy, 62, formerly of Cygnet Street, Marks Point, had originally
been committed for trial in Newcastle District Court on 118 offences against17
Boddy pleaded guilty to one count of homosexual intercourse, four ofaggravated
sexual intercourse, five of indecent assault and one of attempted sexual
Judge Ralph Coolahan further remanded Boddy in custody until February 22 next
year, and lifted a ban on publication of Boddy's name.
Man to front court accused of spa sex assault
ABC Premium News. Sydney:Nov 6, 2006. p. 1
A 57-year-old man is today due to front Cairns Magistrates Court on sexual
assault charges.
It is alleged the man sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman and a13-year-old
boy in the spa of a Cairns hotel on Saturday.
He has been refused bail.
Strangers not the real danger
Margo Zlotkowski (firstname.lastname@example.com). The Cairns Post.Cairns,
Qld.:Nov 6, 2006. p. 7
STRANGER danger is not the problem for women and girls in the Far North; it's
people they know who are more likely to sexually abuse them.
The latest police statistics show the region has the highest rate of sexual
assaults in Queensland but most of them occur in people's homes rather thanon
the street.
"If we look closely at the figures, they tell us that sexual assault is acrime
happening in our own homes, perpetrated by people known to the victim and
predominantly against children," said Kay Haig, senior medical officer at
Family Planning Queensland Cairns Sexual Assault Service.
"Often it's somebody who's in the family," Dr Haig said.
There were 701 sexual offences across the Far North in 2005/06, including 178
rapes and 523 other offences - which was up 15 per cent on the previous year.
The biggest number (227) was committed against girls under 14, with20-24-year-
old women the next biggest target (51).
The rate of reported offences was 290 per 100,000 people, the highest in
Queensland, which averaged 162 reports per 100,000.
Dr Haig said 80 per cent of sexual offences in the region were committed by
someone known to the victim, 87 per cent of the victims were female, and 65per
cent were younger than 18.
"The risk of 'stranger rape' while real is small compared with the amount of
sexual assault perpetrated by people known to the victim, such as within
relationships and 'date rape'," Dr Haig said.
"Women and children need to be informed of these facts and provided with
information about what to do if they experience assault."
Sexual predators tended to wait for their opportunity to strike, which was
usually when they were alone in the house with their victim, Dr Haig said.
"Then if it comes to court it's between the word of the victim and the wordof
the perpetrator who may say the sex was consenting - it becomes verydifficult
to prove," she said.
Although the figures showed the region's sexual offences had increased, DrHaig
said her impression was that people were just reporting it a lot more.
Court clears man over jail murder charge
Wednesday, 8 November 2006. 15:00 (AEDT)Wednesday, 8 November 2006. 14:00(ACST)Wednesday, 8 November 2006. 14:00 (AEST)Wednesday, 8 November 2006. 15:00(ACDT)Wednesday, 8 November 2006. 12:00 (AWST)
A man accused of killing a convicted paedophile in Junee Jail eight years agohas been cleared of a charge of murder.
Harry Robinson was charged with murdering former teacher John Thomas Kennett,46.
Kennett had just begun a minimum eight year sentence in the prison forsexually abusing 12 boys in the 1970s and 1980s when he died in his cell inSeptember 1998.
He was a former principal of the preparatory school at Kinross Wolaroi Schoolin Orange, which had fought unsuccessfully to have his name suppressed.
A Supreme Court jury sitting in Sydney yesterday found Robinson not guilty ofmurdering the fellow Junee jail inmate.
The trial was presided over by Justice Timothy Studdert.
Robinson walked free from the court.
Government admits child welfare failures
November 08, 2006 12:00
ONE child has died and hundreds more cases of abuse and neglect remainuninvestigated because of "serious system failures" within Tasmania's childwelfare services, the Government has admitted.
Minister for Health and Human Services Lara Giddings today announced sweepingchanges to the service following the release of four damning reports which showa system overwhelmed by increasing demand. Ms Giddings said the failureswere most graphically demonstrated by recommendations of an investigation intothe death last year of a child known to the child protection service. "In the case investigated, it was found that the system did fail and theGovernment is determined to ensure that we learn from what has happened tominimise the risk of similar tragedies in the future," she said. Detailsof the death have not been released but the Government has agreed to 19recommendations from the investigation, including a review of "takeaway" dosesof methadone to parents. Ms Giddings said the Government had orderedinvestigations into a further nine children aged 17 years and under, who haddied in the past two years and had been known to the service during their lives. A report on child protection services in Tasmania, published in Octoberlast year and released today, shows the service received 13,029 notifications ofsuspected child abuse and neglect in 2005-06. Of those, 1452 remainunallocated for investigation. "The reports confirm that our serviceshave been overwhelmed by huge increases in demand," Ms Giddings said. "They clearly document serious system failures." The Governmenttoday announced a 12-point reform of its child welfare system, based on 143recommendations contained in the report on child protection services. MsGiddings said 20 additional staff would be employed for a six-month "blitz" toreduce the unallocated caseload, which had increased by 1000 per cent since2003. Four regional teams also would be created to provide help forchildren and families before child protection services became involved, shesaid. The Government had also spent $600,000 on a new centrally managedcomputer database to store child protection information. Ms Giddings hasrefused to review mandatory reporting procedures under the Government's Safe atHome legislation, despite acknowledging that they had left case workers "swampedand overwhelmed" since their introduction in 2003. She has also ruledout allocating more money to the system, saying the existing budget hadallocated an additional $11.7 million over four years to child protectionservices. But the outgoing Child Commissioner, David Fanning, has warnedthe Government's plan will fail unless it allocates more resources to familysupport services. "The Government has made a preliminary response ...but it needs to be much greater than that," he said. "It needs to be aclear, unequivocal commitment from the Government." Mr Fanning, whoco-authored the child protection services report, said at least half the casesreferred to the overstretched child protection service could be handled byfamily support. Asked if he believed the system was failing children, MrFanning said: "It's difficult to reach any other conclusion, isn't it."
MP used public funds for sex
SACKED NSW Aboriginal Affairs Minister Milton Orkopoulos allegedly usedgovernment funds to pay a teenage boy for sex, a court has been told.
Orkopoulos, 49, was arrested in Belmont at Lake Macquarie, south ofNewcastle, about 7.30am (AEDT) today and soon after was sacked from statecabinet by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.
Police attached to Strike Force Darook subsequently charged the MP for thestate seat of Swansea with 30 drug and child sex offences.
Orkopoulos was initially refused police bail, but was later granted bail byMagistrate Richard Wakely on conditions including that he deposit $20,000 withNewcastle Local Court.
According to a fact sheet tendered to the Newcastle court today, Orkopoulosmet one alleged victim, then aged 15, between April and October 1997.
The alleged victim, now 24, told police Orkopoulos supplied him with cannabison two occasions before the first alleged sexual assault.
When the boy was 18, Orkopoulos was paying him about $250 per week to havesex with him, according to the police facts.
"These payments were made with government funds allocated to the accused eachmonth for the Swansea electorate,'' the police alleged.
The alleged victim also told police he became reliant on the payments becauseof his addiction to cannabis, which began about a year after he met Orkopoulos.
The alleged victim and Orkopoulos smoked cannabis together over a period ofseven or eight years, the police said.
Police allege Orkopoulos supplied the teenager with cannabis to relax himbefore they had sex.
The court documents also said Orkopoulos occasionally supplied amphetaminesto the alleged victim, whose drug addiction meant he was unable to hold down ajob or support himself financially.
The alleged victim said he met with Orkopoulos twice a week for a period ofseven or eight years.
Child abuse trigger found
A study focusing on the role of a important brain chemical sheds new light onwhy victims of childhood abuse may themselves become abusers as adults, andpoints to a possible remedy, researchers have found.
They looked at levels of serotonin - a chemical that transmits impulses inthe brain - in rhesus monkeys, but has implications for understanding childabuse in people because of biological similarities in humans and monkeys, theysaid. When baby monkeys in the study experienced high amounts of abuseand rejection from their mother in the month after birth, their brains oftenproduced less serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to anxiety,depression and aggression in monkeys and people. The researchersfollowed monkey infants from birth into adulthood. They found that femalemonkeys that had been abused by their mothers as infants and later becameabusive mothers had about 10 to 20 percent less serotonin than females that hadbeen abused as babies but did not become abusive parents. Experts longhave known that suffering childhood abuse raises the probability a person willbecome an abusive parent, and have tried to find the reason - for example,repeating behavior learned early in life or, alternatively, long-term changes inbrain processes governing emotions. "Our results suggest that the systemis affected by early trauma, early experience, and that these long-term changesin the brain might contribute to the occurrence of abusive parenting inadulthood," University of Chicago researcher Dario Maestripieri said in aninterview. Maestripieri, lead author of the study in the journalBehavioral Neuroscience, said if research confirms that the same changes inbrain development also occur in humans, then there could be the potential forintervention using drugs. Maestripieri said drugs that raise brainserotonin levels might lower the chances an abused child becomes an abusiveparent. The team watched mothers as they parented to note hitting andother negative behaviors toward their infants. They swapped monkey infants atbirth between different mothers to determine that the observed changes did notmerely reflect genetic similarities between babies and their mothers. "Ithink we've made another step forward in understanding exactly how earlyexperience affects this inter-generational transmission of abuse," Maestripieriadded. The abuse included having the mother grab babies by the leg ortail, step on them, pin them down or throw them in the air, Maestripieri said.The study did not look at paternal abuse because it involved a monkey specieswhose parental care is entirely performed by females, he said.
Crown prosecutor child porn case adjourned
November 07, 2006
A CHILD pornography case against NSW crown prosecutor Patrick Power was todayadjourned until December.
Mr Power SC, the state's deputy senior crown prosecutor, is charged withpossessing child pornography.
The 54-year-old was arrested on July 6 this year after an explicit videoallegedly was found on a personal computer he took into his work for repairs.
Mr Power stood down from his position and has taken leave while his case isheard.
Today his barrister, David Giddy, was granted an adjournment of the case inSydney's Downing Centre Local Court.
Deputy Registrar Paul Morgan set the matter down to be heard again onDecember 12.
Mr Power did not appear in court today and was excused from appearing at thenext hearing.
Girl escapes assailant
November 06, 2006 04:50pm
A MAN aged in his 40s or 50s assaulted a teenage girl at North Haven lastnight
Police said the girl, 17, was walking near the intersection of Lady GowrieDrive and South Australia 1 Drive about 9.50pm when she was approached by theman.
Police said the man made some offensive comments, before grabbing the girl ina bear hug and pushing her backwards to the ground.
She broke free and fled, without injury.
The man was Caucasian, about 167cm tall, of medium build, with short greywavy hair.
He was wearing glasses with square frames, and a dark jacket and pants
Indefinite jail for sexual predator
KAY DIBBEN. The Sunday Mail. Brisbane, Qld.:Nov 5, 2006. p. 12
A RAPIST who attacked a woman at knifepoint and indecently assaulted a girlat
a primary school nine years ago will be kept in jail indefinitely.
Nigel Patrick Robinson, 27, who had been due for release next weekend, hasbeen
declared a serious danger to the community.
In 1997, Robinson, then 18, threatened to slit a Gympie woman's throat before
forcing her into bushland and raping her while holding a knife to her chest.
Months later he walked into a Gympie primary school, forced a girl, 9, into a
room, covering her mouth when she screamed.
He then indecently assaulted her.
Robinson is near the end of a nine-year sentence for rape, indecent assaulton
a child and deprivation of liberty.
The Supreme Court in Brisbane, which handed down its decision last week,heard
both crimes were predatory offences against strangers.
After hearing psychiatric evidence, Justice Ann Lyons said Robinson still had
an anti-social personality disorder, a long history of jail breachesinvolving
wilful behaviour and no community support net.
School pays $1m to sex abuse victims
DAVID MURRAY. The Sunday Mail. Brisbane, Qld.:Nov 5, 2006. p. 29
BRISBANE Grammar School had to pay out more than $1 million from its own
coffers after allegedly ignoring warnings about a pedophile counsellor.
Documents obtained by The Sunday Mail show insurers refused to pay the entire
compensation bill for victims because of allegations former headmaster Max
Howell was twice warned about counsellor Kevin Lynch.
As a result, the prestigious school had to dip into its own funds, and is now
suing its insurance broker AON Risk Services Australia to recover the money.
Grammar says the broker failed to properly inform the school of itsobligation
to report the claims.
AON Risk Services Australia has filed a defence denying liability.
A group of about 70 former students sued Grammar, alleging Lynch sexually
abused them during counselling sessions between 1975 and 1988. Studentsclaimed
Lynch would typically molest boys after they had undressed, under the guiseof
"relaxation therapy".
He committed suicide in 1997 after being charged with abusing a student at St
Paul's School at Bald Hills, in northern Brisbane, to which he moved after
Brisbane Grammar School started reaching confidential out-of- courtsettlements
with victims in 2003.
Documents lodged in the Supreme Court by the school in its case against the
insurance broker say Mr Howell was allegedly warned about Lynch. But Grammar
claims it was unaware the details had to be passed on to its insurer.
"It was alleged in or about 2002 on behalf of the former student plaintiffs
that the then-headmaster of the school had received two complaints (one in
about April 1980 and the other in or about winter 1981) identifying theconduct
of the said teacher/counsellor which gave rise to the claims," the documents
Grammar's insurers would cover only 90 per cent of payouts from 1980 and 70per
cent of payouts from subsequent years because they were not informed of the
alleged complaints.
The school was left to pay $1.17 million to victims in compensation and legal
Compounding the financial burden, the school was unable to identify its
insurers between 1974 and 1978, and had to pay out almost $400,000 for claims
made in those years.
The school also accuses its broker of losing records that would haveidentified
its insurers during the 1970s.
Grammar board of trustees chairman Howard Stack said yesterday that Mr Howell
had denied he had been warned.
He said Grammar had borrowed to fund its payouts, rather than penalisepresent
students by selling assets or increasing fees.
The school had adopted an "open and transparent approach" and had provided
counselling, support and compensation to Lynch's victims.
I'm not the monster you think Vigilantes attack 'God-fearing' man
SUE HEWITT. Sunday Herald - Sun. Melbourne, Vic.:Nov 5, 2006. p. 9
SUBURBAN vigilantes have attacked a man they wrongly believed to be apedophile
and warned Broadmeadows residents of his presence by letter.
The man has been threatened, had his windows smashed, gates padlocked and
letterbox sabotaged in a campaign of harassment spanning two months.
The trouble started after John Lee moved into public housing in Broadmeadows
and a letter circulated warning residents about the person living at his
The letter was posted anonymously to households with children and implied the
resident was a pedophile.
The situation worsened when some locals believed he was the West Australian
John Arthur Lee, the first Australian charged with child sex tourism.
The WA child protection unit this week confirmed the Broadmeadows man was not
the convicted criminal.
Mr Lee said his life had been a nightmare and he pleaded for authorities to
move him to safe housing.
"I am not a crook or a deviant, I am a God-fearing Christian," he said. "But
the vigilantes have come after me and threatened me."
Mr Lee claimed he was once so fearful he left his house and sought emergency
"But I had to sleep in someone's car," he said.
He said he did not support convicted pedophiles being released into the
community near schools and suggested they should live "at the back of
But he criticised the actions of vigilantes.
Mr Lee had a front fence erected and padlocked its gate, but thugs pouredsuper
glue in it, locking him behind his own fence.
Then someone added their own padlock to his gate. Mr Lee cannot receive mail
because someone blocked his letterbox with expanding foam used in thebuilding
"My lounge room windows have been smashed twice, I've had eggs thrown at my
door, my shrubs have been trampled and I am watched all the time," he said.
He added that some residents took his photograph, while others threw rocks at
his fence.
The letter that sparked the attacks said residents had the "right to know ofa
resident that could be a danger to you and your family". State Opposition
police spokesman Kim Wells said although there was no excuse for vigilante
activities, they were understandable in the "climate of fear".
He said the community mistrusted the Victorian Government and fearedconvicted
pedophiles were being released into public housing.
Ex-clergyman convicted of molesting boy
November 06, 2006 05:36pm
A FORMER Anglican curate has been found guilty in Brisbane of having sex witha teenage organist he was mentoring during the 1970s.
Robert Francis Sharwood, 62, of Brisbane, had pleaded not guilty in theDistrict Court in Brisbane to five charges including one each of carnalknowledge and permitting carnal knowledge and two of indecent assault, and to acharge of gross indecency.
A jury tonight found Sharwood guilty of the first four charges, but notguilty of the gross indecency charge.
Sharwood already had pleaded guilty to another seven charges relating to thesexual relationship which occurred between January 1974 and March 1976 while hewas an assistant curate at a parish in Brisbane's southwest.
The now 46-year-old complainant, who cannot be named, was only 13 and a youngparishioner who played the organ at the same parish when Sharwood seducedhim.
A joint love of classical music, particularly Mozart, forged the setting forthe abuse which included kissing, masturbation, oral sex and analintercourse.
During the two-and-a-half years Sharwood molested the boy about two to threetimes a week – including when he picked him up after school, at the rectory,during musical concerts, at their homes, and in a car.
Sharwood befriended the family of the complainant – who is now married withfour children – when he arrived at their home to help clean up after thedevastating 1974 Brisbane floods – in only his swimming togs.
In 1976 Sharwood moved to Sydney, and the victim's father intercepted a loveletter Sharwood had written to his son.
He took it to the parish, where a bishop and a another clergyman bestowed"absolute forgiveness and restoration to the church" on Sharwood to reformhim.
Sharwood was an assistant priest at the complainant's wedding in 1982, afterthe complainant was a groomsman at Sharwood's wedding in 1977.
Sharwood later worked at a exclusive Brisbane private school, whichterminated his employment in 2002 on hearing about the alleged abuse.
In an unusual move today, Judge Fleur Kingham agreed to continue Sharwood'sbail until he is sentenced later this week.
Man tries to snatch boy
November 06, 2006 01:15am
A YOUNG boy was lucky to escape from a man who grabbed him only metres fromhis home during an attempted abduction in the northern suburbs at theweekend.
Detectives yesterday said the boy, aged about 10, was approached by a man inhis Vale Park street at 7.15pm on Saturday.
The boy fought off the attacker, who drove away in a vehicle described as anold model white ute with "rough" paint work and possibly a black tarpaulin.
The offender is described as a Caucasian, 25-35, with brown or possibly dyedgrey hair. He was wearing a black round-necked T-shirt and blue jeans.
Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Naked man sexually assaults girl
November 04, 2006 05:00pm
POLICE are searching man they believe is responsible for a shocking sexualassault on a teenage girl at knife point - while naked - in a northern suburbs'reserve. The assault took place in broad daylight as the girl was walkingthrough Para Hills Reserve, near Murrell Rd, between between 4.30 and 5.00 onFriday afternoon.
The assault took place in broad daylight as the girl was walking through ParaHills Reserve, near Murrell Rd, between between 4.30 and 5.00 on Fridayafternoon.Police were concerned by the brazen nature of the attack andlevel of violence used. "The type of sexual assault carried out wasviolent and caused the victim, aged in her early teens, serious psychologicaltrauma,'' Detective Sergeant Simon Bell from the Sex Crime Branch said. "We believe the offender had taken his clothes off and was laying inwait in bushes for a victim to approach, then he pounced. "The girlscreamed during the attack which was over fairly quickly and then the offenderfled back to his clothes, dressed and took to the streets.'' Theattacker, who police do not believe was drunk or drugged, was last seen runningnorth through the reserve towards Severn Court, Para Hills. A policehelicopter and sniffer dogs searched in vain for the man in the surrounding areafor several hours after the attack. The wanted man was described asbeing Caucasian, about 25 years old, standing 6 ft tall with brown spiked shorthair, a brown moustache, goatee beard and dark brown eyes. Police areadvising anyone who may have any information about this incident to contactCrimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Qld convoy calls for end to paedophilia
Saturday Nov 4 13:21 AEDT
A zero tolerance for paedophiles campaign brought a convoy of two thousandtrucks, cars and motorcycles on to Queensland's M1 highway.
Vehicles travelling in the Bravehearts Highway Thunder - Convoy for Kids2006, carried white flags and balloons and speakers called for the protection ofchildren against sexual attack.
Bravehearts executive director Hetty Johnston said one in five children wouldbe sexually assaulted before the age of 18.
She said all children were put at risk when jailed sexual offenders werereleased back into the community.
Queensland's judges were not fully utilising the powers they had under thestate government's Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act, said MsJohnston.
The act allowed the justice system to keep dangerous paedophiles behind barseven after their sentences had finished, but judges were not utilising thislegislation, Ms Johnston said.
"We've had 22 prisoners assessed as being a serious risk and dangerous, andput forward to the Attorney-General for continuing detention, and only six ofthose have been contained," she said.
Queensland Assistant Police Commissioner Darryl Johnson addressed theparticipants before the convoy started from Beenleigh, south of Brisbane.
It ended at Emerald Lakes Golf Course on the Gold Coast where a family fundday was held.
Taking part were Denise and Bruce Morcombe, parents of missing schoolboyDaniel Morcombe, believed to have been abducted three years ago.
Over 2,000 bikes, 500 trucks and 3,000 cars had registered for the event, butpoor weather kept many bike riders and open car drivers away.
Ms Johnston, who's own daughter was sexually assaulted, plans to run theevent nationally next year.
Child-sex fiends off to prison
Geoff Wilkinson. Herald Sun. Melbourne, Vic.:Nov 2, 2006. p. 28
A MAN sexually abused children while undergoing aversion therapy as part ofhis
sentence for previous offences, the County Court was told yesterday.
Five children aged between two and 15 were assaulted by the man, his former
partner and her husband during six years of horrific behaviour in a Victorian
country town.
A pornographic videotape they made while committing dozens of obscene actswith
the children was aptly titled Grub.
None of the three defendants, or the judge who sentenced them, can be named
because their identities could identify the child victims.
The children had been easy prey to his inducements and their memories were
likely to be "forever scarred by their recollections".
The 51-year-old man admitted 19 previous convictions, ranging from wilful and
obscene exposure and indecent assault to acts of gross indecency and sexual
penetration of a 12-year-old girl entrusted to his care.
His lawyer told the court at an earlier hearing that the man had beensexually
abused when he was six by an elder brother.
Court-ordered aversion therapy "did nothing more than fuel a perverted habit
already entrenched in (his) life", and he believed the only way he could
overcome his deviant urges was by chemical castration, he said.
The man pleaded guilty to nine counts of incest, 17 counts of indecent acts
with a child under 16,
15 counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and one each of producing
and possessing child pornography.
He was sentenced to 15 years' jail with a minimum non-parole period of 11years
and will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.
The woman, 36, is the mother of three of the five child victims.
The judge said she came from an extremely disadvantaged background and,
according to a psychologist, was profoundly dependent on her husband.
The woman was sentenced to eight years' jail with a minimum of four after
pleading guilty to 16 counts of incest, one of attempted incest, fiveindecent
acts with a child under 16 and one each of producing and possessing child
Her husband, 38, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of incest, one of attempted
incest, nine indecent acts with a child under 16 and one each of producingand
possessing child pornography.
The judge said a prison chaplain had told the court the man had expressed a
high level of remorse, regret and shame and was deeply saddened by the damage
he had caused his family.
He sentenced the man to 11 years' jail with a minimum non-parole period of
seven years.
The man and his wife have also been placed on the sex offenders'register.
Coast's shocking crime by numbers
By KATHY SUNDSTROM THE Sunshine Coast has become a more dangerous place to call home in the past year, with new figures showing a dramatic surge in sex offences and violent crime.
The annual report card for the North Coast region – from Redcliffe including the Coast and up to Bundaberg – showed increases in rape, sexual offences, assault, attempted murder, robbery and extortion.
The region had a shocking 38% increase in sexual offences — the largest in the state.
The surge in sexual assaults has prompted authorities to warn the home is the most dangerous place for many Queenslanders, with 81% of offenders known to their victims.
"Thirty-eight per cent were from the same family and 43% were eitheracquaintances, friends, neighbours or colleagues,'' Police Minister Judy Spencesaid.
Internet bank users also have reason to be nervous with the regionexperiencing an astounding 411% increase in computer-related offences.
Despite the increases, Premier Peter Beattie and North Coast AssistantCommissioner Patrick Doonan highlighted the "encouraging trends".
But a closer analysis of the statistics showed the opposite, particularly forsexual offences.
The major component of this was a 51% increase in "other sexual offences"which include "indecent assaults on adults, indecent treatment of children, andassault with intent to commit rape as well as incest and bestiality".
Robbery was up 31%, which includes a 27% increase in armed robbery – thesecond highest in the state – and unarmed robbery was up by 37%.
Extortion was also up by 23%, which is better than in the far north whichrecorded a 293% increase.
While the number of murders decreased in the past year by 29%, the number of"other homicides" – which includes "attempted murder, conspiracy to murder,manslaughter, and driving causing death" – was up by 21%.
Assault was also up by 1%, weapons offences were up by 9% and breach ofdomestic violence orders were up by 5%.
Drug offences were also up by 22% – again the largest increase in the state.
On the positive side, kidnapping and abduction was down by 39%, unlawfulentry was down by 13% and arson was down by 11%.
It was these figures both Mr Beattie and Mr Doonan chose to highlight.
"These figures prove that while there is still work to be done, Queenslanderscan be confident that our police are making great strides in controlling anddetecting crime and providing a safe place to live," Mr Beattie said.
Mr Doonan's explanation for the dramatic surge in sexual offences was thatmore people were coming forward.
"People were once quite reluctant to report sexual offences to police howeverit seems these days more people have enhanced confidence that their allegationswill be fully investigated, which has seen more offences, including historicaloffences, reported to police."
Mr Beattie and Mr Doonan also focused on the increase in computer fraudoffences, which have gone up by 73%.
Named, shamed
The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport, Qld.:Nov 2, 2006. p. 32
IT is past time when restrictions on naming juveniles convicted of serious
criminal offences be lifted.
Judges in NSW have reserved their decision on whether media organisations can
apply to name four Pakistani brothers convicted of rape.
Another appeal is also pending on the ridiculous leniency of the sentencesthey
received for their crimes.
One of their two victims, now aged 18 but just 14 years old at the time ofthe
rapes, has courageously waived her right to anonymity in order to give
strength to other rape victims.
She is also writing a book about her ordeal so that other rape victims mayknow
they are not alone.
Although these events are unfolding before the courts in NSW, Queensland's
archaic laws on juvenile offenders are no better.
Laws that protect serious juvenile offenders must be changed so that they can
be named and shamed, particularly when courts seem intent on awardingsentences
that often amount to little more than a slap on the wrist.
Pair deny murder plot on boy, 14
November 03, 2006 03:00pm
TWO men will plead guilty to sexually assaulting a Perth schoolboy whileholding him hostage for three weeks but maintain they did not plot to kill him,a court has been told.
Robbie Sebastian Wheeler, 42, and Victor Leslie Urquhart, 45, today indicatedin the West Australian District Court they will plead guilty on November 24 to atotal of 27 charges including deprivation of liberty and a range of sexualoffences.The charges relate to the disappearance of a 14-year-old Perthboy last year. The men will face trial in April next year for conspiringto murder the boy, charges they deny. Both men have been remanded incustody.
Bishop tells jury of letter by accused
Mark Oberhardt. The Courier - Mail. Brisbane, Qld.:Nov 3, 2006. p. 33
AN Anglican priest accused of molesting a teenage boy 30 years ago asked his
replacement in the parish to ignore rumours about his behaviour, a courtheard.
The evidence came from bishop of the western region, Robert Nolan, one of two
high-ranking Anglican priests who gave evidence yesterday in the trial of
Robert Francis Sharwood, the former curate of St Matthews church at Sherwood,
in Brisbane's west.
Sharwood, now 62, pictured, is on trial for child-sex offences allegedly
committed between 1974 and 1976.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault, carnal knowledge
against the order of nature, permitting carnal knowledge against the order of
nature, and gross indecency.
Before evidence was called Judge Fleur Kingham told the jury that Sharwoodhad
pleaded guilty previously to seven counts of indecent assault involving the
same complainant.
The Crown alleges that from 1974 to 1976 Sharwood had a sexual relationship
with the boy that developed through their mutual love of music.
Bishop Nolan said that he had in effect replaced Sharwood in the then new
parish of Jindalee, which had broken away from Sherwood.
He said Sharwood had sent him a letter with a donation for the parish,telling
him to ignore rumours he might hear about his behaviour.
Under cross-examination from Gary Long, for Sharwood, Bishop Nolan denied he
had a fuzzy recollection of events and said he remembered reading the letter.
The trial heard that in 2002 the complainant, now 46, made allegations about
Sharwood to a council member of the Anglican Grammar School to which Sharwood
moved in 1985 as a teacher and assistant chaplain.
The complainant's wife told how over time she was able to get the full storyof
her husband's abuse.
The jury in the case is expected to retire to consider its verdict onMonday.
Bell must toll in sex assault cases
Ron Hicks. The Australian. Canberra, A.C.T.:Nov 3, 2006. p. 24
JUDGE Ronald Philip Bell has been involved in a number of contentious cases.
But the latest case involving a NSW rural council worker who was convicted of
five serious child sexual assault and indecency charges raises a number of
important legal issues.
Bell, who is a judge of the NSW District Court, could have sentenced the man,
who inserted a firearm in his 12-year-old daughter's vagina, to up to 30years
in jail. Instead, he gave him five suspended sentences and he walked free,and
is back working in his job.
But The Australian cannot tell you any more about this case because of a
suppression order issued by Bell. That order goes far beyond what isnecessary
to protect the identity of the victim.
The leniency of the sentence for such serious child sexual assault chargesand
the use of such an all-encompassing suppression order so that the mediacannot
reveal any details of the case, or judgment, are obvious issues that go to
public accountability.
But the background of the judge is also an important issue. While there is no
suggestion that it affected his judgment in this case, Bell has a personal
history in the area of child sexual assault. This raises the question of
whether he should have recused himself from this case.
In November 1998, Bell was arrested by members of the NSW Police'sStrikeforce
Cori, set up to investigate pedophile allegations. He was charged with three
counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery on a boy aged between 12
and 16 in Sydney between February 1966 and July 1970.
The magistrate who presided over Bell's April 1999 committal hearing, Malcolm
Beveridge, agreed to a defence motion for a suppression order, so that thecase
-- except for the result referred to here -- could not be reported. This case
concerned the word of the alleged victim, a former street boy, against theword
of the judge.
In his summing up, Beveridge said: "I'm not of an opinion ... that there is a
reasonable prospect that a jury would convict the defendant of an indictable
offence and, therefore, in accordance with that section I am obliged to
discharge the defendant."
This was not the first time that Bell had been charged by police. He was
arrested in a public toilet in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in 1966 for anact
of indecency. His fingerprints were taken and he was scheduled to appear in
court. However, the charges were later "withdrawn and dismissed".
Documents obtained by The Australian show that Bell was also investigated by
the Wood Royal Commission in the mid-1990s. He was also involved incontroversy
when he appointed, as his associate, a law student working as a waiter in an
up-market restaurant, after the student approached him during dinner. The
associate was later dismissed for having pornography on his work computer.
Bell has also been involved in other controversies over his sentencing. In
January last year, he dealt with the case of Catholic priest Father Terence
Norman Goodall, who admitted sexually assaulting a 29-year-old maleparishioner
in a homosexual act (then illegal) in January 1982. Bell sentenced the priest
"to the rising of the court, for which purpose the court rises now".
The victim, formerly a devout Catholic, said after the case: "What thispriest
did was destroy my trust in faith -- it has helped to destroy my life. I just
think the leniency of the penalty is a disgrace ... this is the absolute
failure for me as a victim."
Neither Bell nor the Chief Judge of the NSW District Court, Reg Blanch,
commented on the council worker case. But at the time of the Goodall
controversy, Blanch said while he was aware of the 1998 charges against Bellhe
was not aware of the 1966 charges until a query from The Australian. He saidhe
then made inquiries and found the 1966 charges had been "withdrawn and
Asked if he thought Bell should recuse himself from sexual assault cases,
Blanch replied: "It is quite appropriate for Bell to sit on these cases. I
don't think he should recuse himself. The justice system is based on the
presumption of innocence."
There's no suggestion Bell's duties have been influenced by his own history.
But it's easy to see how some might have that perception. So, to ensure
complete transparency, Bell might still be attracted to making a declarationin
court in child sexual assault cases. Better still, why not recusehimself?
Assaults now crime priority
CHRIS SALTER, POLICE REPORTER. The Advertiser. Adelaide, S. Aust.:Nov 2,2006. p. 9
VICTIMS of crime have called for more State Government effort to reduceassault
numbers, which have risen dramatically as the overall crime rate has fallen.
Figures contained in the South Australia Police annual report, to be tabledin
Parliament this month, show that 2272 serious assaults were reported in 2005-
06, a rise of 16.5 per cent on the previous year.
The overall crime rate fell by 5.8 per cent.
The assaults figure also is up from 1951 in 2004-05, and 1945 in 2003-04.
Victim Support Services chief executive Michael Dawson said the figures were
"worrying" and the Government should divert more funding to crime prevention
and education.
"Assault is something that we too easily accept," he said.
"It's a serious issue that we need to take a good hard look at and stopputting
our heads in the sand."
Areas of crime to increase on the previous year included murder, up from 19to
21 and driving causing death, up from 12 to 18.
Offences to fall significantly included rape or attempted rape, down from 755
to 620. Motor vehicle thefts were down from 10,163 to 8038.
Police Minister Paul Holloway said while the results were pleasing, more work
needed to be done to reduce assaults.
Offence 2004/5 2005/6
Murder ____________________________ 19 21
Driving causing death ________________ 12 18
Serious assault ___________________ 1951 2272
Assault police ______________________ 696 764
Rape _____________________________ 755 620
Property damage (arson or explosives) _ 2872 2526
Serious criminal trespass ___________ 3698 3001
Theft/illegal use of motor vehicle ____ 10,163 8038
Letter of the day; opinion
Illawarra Mercury. Wollongong, N.S.W.:Nov 2, 2006. p. 21
Most rapes committed 'without consequence'
Congratulations to those who marched in the recent Reclaim The Night vigils,
which draw attention to the horrendous crime of sexual assault.
Between 1996 and 2003 the number of reported sexual assault cases inAustralia
increased from 14,542 to 18,237, a jump of about 25 per cent. In his bookGirls
Like You, Paul Sheehan discusses that increase and comments on the poor
reporting rate for that type of crime. He suggests there are now about100,000
sexual assaults per year. It is estimated that only 1 per cent of offences
result in conviction. In other words, 99 per cent of rapes occur without
consequence. In 2004, a series of high-profile incidents in the trials of two
groups of gang rapists led one courageous rape victim, 16-year-old Tegan
Wagner, to take the extraordinary step of naming herself as a victim in order
to speak out against the system. Public pressure resulted in theestablishment
of a sexual assault taskforce within the NSW Attorney-General's department. A
key objective was for lawyers, prosecuters, judges and representatives ofrape
victims to agree on ways to improve the justice system's response to thesexual
assault offences.
The taskforce made 70 recommendations including a package of legislative
reforms that passed NSW Parliament last Thursday.
Unfortunately, the legislative package failed to address all the taskforce
recommendations, including the need to create a legal definition of consent.
Although the minister argued there needs to be more discussion with the legal
profession, the Opposition was disappointed because this hard work inachieving
a consensus has already been completed by the taskforce. We did not want the
matter put off again, and regret the reforms are set to be delayed at least
until next year.
The Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Task Force Report is available at
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/clrd under reports andpapers.
Catherine Cusack, MLC,
Opposition women's spokeswoman,
Lennox Head.
Sexual assault on the rise
November 02, 2006 11:37am
THE incidence of sexual assaults has risen markedly, with more than one inthree offenders being related to the victim, according to the 2005-6 PoliceAnnual Statistical Review published today.
The review, tabled in state parliament today, showed a stark rise in thenumber of sexual offences, with the most common victims girls aged 10 to 14.
Rape offences rose five per cent and other sexual offences skyrocketed 24 percent over the past year.
Police Minister Judy Spence said it was a sad fact that there was a higherchance of being sexually assaulted by someone known to the victim than by astranger.
Ms Spence said 81 per cent of offenders were known to their victim and 38 percent were from the same family.
She said that while the figures could be partly due to women feeling morecomfortable about reporting sexual assault, they remained disturbing.
"This behaviour is appalling and will not be tolerated," Ms Spence toldparliament.
Overall, the figures showed a three per cent drop in offences against peopleand property, with 2,700 fewer homes broken into last financial year.
The rate of car thefts was down 13 per cent.
The rollout of alcohol management plans in Aboriginal communities andcrackdown in the Brisbane CBD has led to a 28 per cent rise in liquoroffences.
Drug offences were up five per cent, which Ms Spence said was largely due tobetter detection rates and increased policing.
Ms Spence will release the full report later today.
Fiend's refuge, MP linked
Tony Barrass. The Australian. Canberra, A.C.T.:Nov 2, 2006. p. 3
A CONVICTED pedophile who worked in numerous Aboriginal communities across
central Australia lived at an outback station run by the sister of Indigenous
Affairs Minister Mal Brough.
Police are investigating whether Geoffrey Kenneth Siggs, 61, was part of any
organised pedophile rings that Mr Brough earlier this year claimed were
operating throughout remote indigenous communities.
Mr Brough has confirmed that Siggs had lived at Morapoi station, in the West
Australian Goldfields, for three months in2003.
Morapoi is run by his sister, Carol, and her husband, Pastor Greg Stubbs. The
Stubbses are committed Christians and are involved in numerous church groups,
as was Siggs, the son of a missionary who grew up at Warburton in the Great
Victorian Desert.
Siggs was arrested three weeks ago at the remote Aboriginal outpost of
Kiwirrkurra, where he was living with a couple and running the community store.
He has since pleaded guilty to one child pornography charge and is now in
That charge relates to a laptop and computer disc seized from him in 2003,
which contained 337 images of child pornography downloaded from the internet.
Another two computers have been seized from Siggs but it may take police up to
18 months to download material from them.
Kalgoorlie detective Simon Nichols said although police had not seen any
pictures of Aboriginal children, they were not ruling out the possibility that
Siggs had assaulted or photographed indigenous children.
"During our interview with him, he said that if there were images of Aboriginal
children on them (the seized computers), they would be in their natural state,
sort of innocent pictures of kids," Detective Nichols said.
"We'll just have to wait and see. We will not hesitate in laying further
charges should that material be of interest to us when we see it."
He said detectives had yet to uncover any evidence suggesting Siggs was part of
an outback pedophile ring but would continue to examine all aspects of the
Mr Brough told The Australian that Siggs had spent three months at the station
three years ago. "Apparently this bloke was waiting to get a permit to get into
the Central Desert and asked if he could stay. He was tied up with some sort of
Bible college," Mr Brough said.
"They (Greg and Carol Stubbs) bumped into him some time later in Warburton.
They told me they had read something in the local paper about him.
"I've never heard of him."
The Stubbses did not return calls from The Australian.
Siggs has worked in various Aboriginal communities in Western Australia, South
Australia, the Northern Territory and NSW.
When working as a property supervisor at Bimbadeen College in Cootamundra in
1999, Siggs was publicly thanked by the Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship for
his hard work in one fellowship newsletter.
He has lived and worked at Fitzroy Crossing, Warburton, Blackstone and Nyapari
in South Australia.
Siggs will remain in custody until he is sentenced in January
Rape-accused teenager killed in horror smash
By Vikki Campion and Gemma Jones
November 03, 2006 02:00am
A TEENAGER due to face court over a Sydney gang rape in just 10 days has diedin a street racing crash in Sydney's south.
The 19-year-old, who cannot be named, was a passenger in a car which slammedinto a pole while racing at more than 120km/h on the Princes Highway atTempe.
It is understood the driver, 21, from Glebe, who suffered serious injuries,was on bail for a stolen property offence.
Court papers showed his passenger, from Arncliffe, was due to face trial inthe District Court on November 13 over an alleged gang rape.
However it is believed the Director of Public Prosecutions was in the processof withdrawing the charges because the alleged victim was reluctant to giveevidence.
He was charged with aggravated sexual assault in company and depravation ofliberty over the alleged attack in southern Sydney on June 25, 2002.
A witness said the white Mitsubishi Lancer Evo raced another car for 500mbefore it slammed into the pole about 10.15pm (AEST).
Police asked for anyone who saw the crash to contact Newtown police on02-95508199.or the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit on02-96897370.
Sex offender granted parole
The Mercury. Hobart Town, Tas.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 13
A FORMER Tasmanian school teacher jailed for sexually abusing young boys has
been granted parole.
Kevan John Harding was sentenced to five years' jail in 2002 after pleading
guilty to sex crimes against four boys, aged eight to 12, between 1967 and
In 2004 he was sentenced to another six months' jail after pleading guilty to
indecent assault charges.
He became eligible for parole in May last year but delayed applying so hecould
undertake the sex offenders' program.
In granting parole, the Parole Board said the program had helped Harding
identify triggers that lead to his behaviour.
The board placed conditions on his parole so he would not be in the companyof
children without appropriate supervision.
It also took into account Harding's exemplary behaviour in jail.
Rapist may walk month after verdict
Melanie Pilling court reporter. The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport, Qld.:Nov1, 2006. p. 17
A MAN who raped a 15-year-old girl under the Chevron Island bridge could beout
of jail in a month.
Patrick John Van Hassell was sentenced to eight years in jail in Southport
District Court yesterday but will be eligible for parole on November 30.
The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges of rape, one of stealing andone
of assault occasioning bodily harm. He has been in custody since November,
The court was told Van Hassell asked the teenager for a cigarette when shegot
off a bus in Surfers Paradise on November 5, 2002.
She told him she didn't have one and continued walking towards Chevron Island
where she was going to meet her boyfriend.
She walked under the bridge when she heard footsteps behind her. Van Hassell
pinned her to a wall and raped her twice before stealing $15 from her wallet.
Barrister Sean Cousins, representing Van Hassell, said he had a history of
mental illness and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1989,
which had been left untreated.
Couple get bail in sodomy hearing2nd November 2006, 8:00WST
A teenage girl appeared in court yesterday on charges relating to the allegeduse of a sex toy during a humiliating attack on a man.
Nicola Jane Clunies-Ross, 19, of Perth, was not required to plead to chargesof aggravated sexual penetration without consent, unlawful detention and assaultin relation to an incident in East Perth this week.
Also in Perth Magistrate's Court yesterday was Ms Clunies-Ross' partner,Australian army soldier Peter Justin Gurdulic, 19, who faced the same threecharges.
Police said the victim was also a 19-year-old soldier who was invited to MsClunies-Ross' home and tricked by her into being handcuffed and tied to a chair.She then phoned Mr Gurdulic, who went to the house. It was alleged the coupleused a sex toy to sodomise the man against his will. The case was adjourned fortwo weeks for legal advice.
Ms Clunies-Ross, who is related to the Clunies-Ross family which establisheda settlement on Cocos Island almost 200 years ago, was released on bail of$20,000 with a similar surety. She must report to police three times a week.
Lawyer Laura Timpano said Mr Gurdulic was on leave from his base in theNorthern Territory. He would have to remain at Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle. Hewas released on $20,000 bail with a similar surety and ordered to surrender hispassport.
Sex abuser was also abused, court told
THE vicious cycle of child sexual abuse turned full circle in the District Court in Mackay yesterday when a man who was abused as a child was sentenced to 18 months jail for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl.
The court heard the man, who cannot be identified, entered the victim's bedroom on two occasions and touched her inappropriately through her clothes. He also molested her on a separate occasion as she slept on the couch.
All the incidents occurred at the girl's mother's home in Rockhampton in 2005 but were not reported to police until the woman, who was the man's de-facto at the time, discovered what was going on.
found the man sniffing the girl's used underwear after one of the incidents.
In the man's defence, barrister Bronwyn Hartigan said he and his brothers hadbeen sexually abused as boys and one of the brothers had committed suicide inhis 20s, something which had deeply affected the man.
He also had been a heavy cannabis and alcohol user at the time of theincident and was a former heroin addict who had a sporadic work history and wasunable to read or write.
The Crown prosecutor conceded the crime was "at the lower end of the scale"and asked for a two year sentence for each of the three counts of indecentdealing.
In suspending his sentence immediately, Judge Keith Dodds took into accountthe fact the man pleaded guilty and prevented the victim having to testify, andalso the 218 days he had served in pre-sentence custody.
Abuse past rebounds
Leanne Edmistone
November 02, 2006 11:00pm
A MARTIAL arts instructor and former air cadets leader has been jailed forfour years after being convicted of sexually abusing four teenage boys in the1970s.
Graham Charles Wickson, 52, a state advertising manager, was found guilty bya Brisbane District Court jury yesterday of six counts of indecently dealingwith a boy under 16 years and one count of indecently dealing with a boy under14 years.
He was found not guilty of a further charge of indecently dealing with a boyunder 16 years, and the jury was hung on a ninth charge – which was laterannulled by the Crown.
During the week-long trial, the court heard the offences happened in the1970s while Wickson, then aged 20-23 years, was involved with co-ordinating aircadet groups or students for his Brighton kung fu school.
He was a member of the RAAF reserves until 1978.
The court heard the boys, aged 13 to 15 years, were systematically corruptedfor Wickson's sexual gratification – which included offences of touching, oralsex, masturbation and indecent photography.
A police raid on Wickson's home found old photographs of young boys atcampsites and kung fu tournaments – some of which were inscribed with terms suchas "my special little friend".
Two victim impact statements read to the court detailed the significantimpact the offences had on the men – each of whom described depression, suicidalthoughts, anger, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual confusion and relationshipdifficulties.
One described how he was "brainwashed" by the charismatic Wickson, and at 15years was persuaded to live with him and another since-convicted pedophile whenhis own father died.
He was regularly molested for several years.
The victim also said Wickson had convinced people he was a "messiah" whocould diagnose illnesses by reading auras and iridology – using this so-calledpower to keep his young victims submissive.
Judge Michael Forde said Wickson had shown absolutely no remorse and providedno co-operation to police.
"It's a pity someone like yourself who had so much to offer in terms ofleadership and nurturing young boys' potential . . . have abused that trust andpotential," Judge Forde said.
He said any benefit to possibly hundreds of other boys over the years hadbeen ruined by his conduct towards the four victims. Wickson showed no emotionas Judge Forde sentenced him to four years' jail.
Yesterday lawyer Simon Harrison said a civil class action was expected to belaunched against Wickson and the RAAF on behalf of several other men, notinvolved in yesterday's case, who also claimed to be abuse victims.
Last Update: Friday, November 3, 2006. 11:38am (AEDT)
Helpline targets potential paedophiles
A program launched on the Gold Coast today encourages adults who have sexualthoughts about children to phone a telephone helpline before they act on it.
It is part of a national project to prevent child sexual abuse.
The 'Stop it Now' program has been operating in the United States since1992.
It aims to prevent child sexual abuse by targeting potential offenders.
Sarita Hudson, who works for the program in the US, says she is confident itis making headway into the problem, although it is hard to prove.
"We're trying to prove something didn't happen," she said.
Kathy Prentice, who is behind the push to begin the program in Australia,says it is a revolutionary idea.
"The hope is that before a child is harmed, someone will come forward andseek support and help," she said.
Ms Prentice says she will be approaching state and Federal governments forfunding for the program.
Ex-teacher admits sex with student
ANDREW THOMSONNovember 2, 2006
A WARRNAMBOOL County Court judge yesterday ordered a former Warrnambool musicteacher who pleaded guilty to four sex charges involving a 15-year-old studentto be assessed for a community-based order.
Judge John Barnett expects the assessment to take about six weeks so theformer Brauer College teacher, Richard Annable, 35, now of Club Parade, Kilmore,is not likely to be sentenced until next month.
Yesterday was also the first day new State Government legislation came intoeffect compelling judges to give reasons for not immediately jailing seriousoffenders.
Judge Barnett said the assessment did not necessarily mean Annable was goingto receive a non-custodial sentence.
Annable pleaded guilty to four charges, three of which occurred in a BrauerCollege music room during 1992.
He was charged with two counts of committing an indecent act with a childaged under 16 years and two counts of sexual penetration of a child aged under16 years between February and April 1992.
Much of yesterday's plea centred on the difference between Annable andMelbourne teacher Karen Ellis, who was jailed for a minimum six months by theCourt of Appeal over her affair with a student.
Defence counsel Peter Haag said the then 20-year-old Annable had no teachingexperience, was interviewed one morning for a relief music teacher position,registered as a teacher in the afternoon and only days later was takingchargeof between 40 and 50 students. He filled the position for fourmonths.
He said in comparison Ellis was a qualified teacher, had 12 years' experienceand was aged in her mid-30s. Judge Barnett commented that if Annable's actionshad attracted the attention of police in 1992 the defendant could havereceiveda youth training centre sentence.
Judge Barnett described Annable as a romantic who had been recruited off thestreet to teach, but said society was now demanding tougher sentences.
Crown prosecutor David Cordy told the court Annable was appointed as atemporary replacement music teacher at Brauer College in 1992 after anotherteacher took a leave of absence.
He said Annable was giving the victim a private tutorial when he kissed heron the lips.
Mr Cordy said Annable then offered to talk about what happened and rubbed thegirl's thigh. He said that charge was representative and that course of conducthappened a number of times.
Mr Cordy said at another time Annable fondled the girl and that charge wasalso representative of similar conduct on other occasions.
Annable also pleaded guilty to digital penetration which occurred duringanother tutorial.
The other charge related to an incident at the Warrnambool BotanicGardens.
The victim made a complaint to police in 2004 and after she re-establishedcontact with Annable through emails, a Warrnambool detective took over emailingthe defendant.
A meeting was then organised between the victim and Annableat a Melbournehotel, where she wore a recording device and Annable acknowledged their previousrelationship.
In a passionate submission, Mr Cordy said Judge Barnett would be making asentencing error if he did not jail the defendant.
Annable has no prior court convictions and in a psychologist report wasdescribed as not being a pedophile.
Offender's `background' contributed to sexual assault of girl, 16
Tony Wilson. The Gold Coast Bulletin. Southport, Qld.:Oct 31, 2006. p. 4
A 38-year-old Labrador man has received a fully suspended 12- month sentence
for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
Ebrahim Khlead Najibah was sentenced on October 19 in the Southport District
Court after he pleaded guilty on October 16 to deprivation of liberty and
sexual assault after the incident on May 14 last year, in which he picked upa
16-year-old teenager who was hitchhiking in Ferry Road, Southport.
Judge Gilbert Trafford-Walker placed him on a 12-month jail sentence,suspended
for 18 months.
Court transcripts revealed that in sentencing, Judge Trafford- Walker
highlighted that different `backgrounds' might have played a part.
"I suppose all that can be said is that in relation to this matter you were
misled, perhaps initially, by the conduct of the complainant at night time,
being alone, walking along a road and then being prepared to get into avehicle
when offered a lift and it may be that there is some difference because ofyour
background," he said.
"You must be aware that such conduct is not accepted in our community.
"You committed two very serious criminal offences.
"In those circumstances, no sentence is appropriate other than that I imposea
period of imprisonment."
Judge Trafford-Walker said he took into account the `particularcircumstances'
of the case and that Najibah had pleaded guilty to the offences.
"That is a very important feature because it meant that the complainant didnot
have to give evidence and it is also important because it indicates remorseon
your part," he said.
"You are a person of good character and standing within the community.
"Other minor problems there have been in the past are not relevant in my
consideration of this particular case."
Court bid to identify rape gang
November 2, 2006
THE identity of four notorious Pakistani gang rapist brothers may never bemade public as their lawyers fight to stop the media from publishing their namesand photographs.
The Herald is seeking a court order allowing it to reveal the identityof the men, known only as MSK, now 28 years old, MAK, 26, MRK, 21, and MMK, 20,who committed gang rape and other sex offences against several girls as young as13 in 2002.
MRK and MMK were under 18 - at 17 years and nine months and 16 years - at thetime of the sex attacks, so it is against the law to publish their names.
The identifies of MSK and MAK, adults at the time of the crimes, are alsohidden to protect their brothers' identities.
The Crown did not support the Herald's application yesterday, incontrast to another well-known gang rape case - that of the Skaf brothers - inwhich the Herald successfully sought to allow the media to name thejuvenile, Mohammed Skaf.
Yesterday, in written submissions to the Court of Criminal Appeal, thelawyers for MRK and MMK argued that there was no legitimate public interest tobe served in "naming so as to shame" and it could impede their rehabilitationand result in them being physically and verbally attacked.
Fairfax, publisher of the Herald, argued in written submissions thatdeterrence and rehabilitation are compromised if offenders are notidentified.
Natasha Wallace
Indecent assault
GR. Herald. Newcastle, N.S.W.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 18
POLICE are seeking a man of Asian appearance, aged between 35 and 40, who
allegedly indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl in Beaumont Street,Hamilton,
on Monday afternoon.
The man was described as having short brown hair and was wearing a greystriped
shirt, blue jeans and jogging shoes during the incident.
He allegedly approached the girl at 2pm, made two requests for sexual acts
which she rejected and then touched the girl.
Woman in sex claim
The Advertiser. Adelaide, S. Aust.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 6
A SENIOR Education Department staffer has been accused of sexually assaultinga
teenage girl almost 20 years ago.
The woman, 45, was yesterday reported for one count of unlawful sexual
intercourse and two counts of indecent assault. It is believed the charges
relate to the alleged sexual assault of a girl in 1987.
Police would not release the accused's name, the victim's age or the location
of the alleged offences.
The woman will receive a summons and appear in court later.
Priest denies he lured boy for sex
Mark Oberhardt. The Courier - Mail. Brisbane, Qld.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 27
AN Anglican priest used a pretext of composing music for a new church liturgy
to cover his sexual relationship with a schoolboy, a court heard yesterday.
For more than two years, Robert Francis Sharwood was able to meet with the
teenage boy, a parishioner, through their shared interest in music.
In the District Court in Brisbane, Sharwood, now 62, pleaded not guilty to
indecent assault, carnal knowledge against the order of nature, permitting
carnal knowledge against the order of nature, and gross indecency.
However, before evidence was called, Judge Fleur Kingham told the jurySharwood
had on an earlier occasion pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault
involving the same complainant.
In his opening address to the jury, prosecutor Ron Swanwick said that from1972
to 1976, Sharwood was the assistant curate at St Matthew's Anglican Church at
Sherwood, which took in Jindalee where the boy lived.
He said that from 1974 to 1976, Sharwood had a sexual relationship with the
Mr Swanwick said the complainant, aged 13 to 15 years at the time and now 46,
believed he and Sharwood had sex two to four times a week.
But the victim could particularise 12 of the offences because he could relate
them to certain dates such as the Brisbane floods or concerts.
Mr Swanwick said that after Sharwood went to Sydney in 1976, he kept
in contact with thecomplainant.
In 1976, the complainant's father intercepted a letter which indicated there
was a sexual relationship and it was taken to Anglican Church authorities who
counselled Sharwood and later absolved him.
Parents jailed for incest porn
October 31, 2006 11:00pm
A Victorian mother, father, and stepfather have been jailed for sexuallyabusing their own children aged two to 15 and for making childpornography.
The Victorian County Court's heard the children were made to perform sexualacts on the adults as well as each other and were subjected to various forms ofpenetration by the adults. The 36-year-old mother of three of thechildren pleaded guilty to charges relating to her oldest son and daughter andwas sentenced to a maximum of eight years in jail with a minimum of four. Her 38-year-old husband pleaded guilty to charges over the same twochildren, his stepchildren, and was jailed for 11 years with a minimum of seven. His own son and daughter were among five victims abused by the secondman, who is the mother's former partner. He'd been convicted of similaroffences before and the judge noted attempts to change his behaviour had failed. He was sentenced to 15 years jail with a minimum of 11 years.
Meeting backs women's centre, child sex assault counselling services
ABC Regional News. Sydney:Oct 31, 2006. p. 1
A meeting in Armidale overnight has agreed to maintain the local women'scentre
and child sexual assault counselling services.
The future of both groups and workers' jobs was thrown into doubt last week
after their joint committee and agreed to recommend they close.
About 40 people rejected a recommendation from the committee and to form anew
committee to continue the services' operations.
The Australian Services Union's Kylie Rooke says the key to the survival of
both now lies in public support.
"There's a lot of people that have put their hands up and shown that they
really value this service," she said.
"I just hope those people are going to get involved in the service now.That's
what's needed. There's a new committee with new ideas and I just hope people
are prepared to donate time and energy to the service."
Man held over rape
The Advertiser. Adelaide, S. Aust.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 33
A MAN has been charged over two violent home invasions in the northernsuburbs.
The man, 40, from Elizabeth Park, was yesterday arrested for allegedlybreaking
into two women's houses and raping them. It is alleged the attacks occurredat
Smithfield in June and at Elizabeth Grove in August.
The man was charged with two counts of rape, aggravated serious criminal
trespass and assault with intent to rape.
He was remanded in custody to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Courttoday.
Church `covered up' sex assaults
Kevin Meade. The Australian. Canberra, A.C.T.:Nov 1, 2006. p. 5
THE father of a teenage boy who was sexually molested by an Anglican priest
complained to church authorities in 1976, but the pedophile was forgiven and
later employed at Brisbane's prestigious "Churchie" school, where he taught
until 2002.
Details of the church cover-up emerged in the Brisbane District Courtyesterday
after the priest, Robert Francis Sharwood, pleaded guilty to seven charges of
indecently assaulting the boy, who was 13 when the two-year sexualmolestation
The court heard that when the victim, now 46, complained to the police in2003,
he was influenced by the revelations of the Toowoomba sex abuse trial thatled
to the resignation of former Anglican archbishop of Brisbane PeterHollingworth
as governor- general.
Sharwood, 62, pleaded not guilty yesterday to five other charges including
sodomy, gross indecency and indecent assault. His trial on those chargesbegan
yesterday. Prosecutor Ron Swanwick said Sharwood and his victim, now a
university lecturer, had hundreds of sexual encounters between 1974 and 1976.
They kept in touch after their sexual affair ended and later attended each
other's weddings.
The victim attended Sharwood's wedding in Sydney as a groomsman in 1977.
Sharwood returned the favour in 1982, officiating as assistant priest at the
victim's wedding.
But while on the surface they maintained a friendly relationship andexchanged
Christmas cards until 2000, the sexual assaults of the victim's teen years
continued to play on his mind until he finally poured out details of the
offences to his wife and police.
Sharwood was the assistant curate at Sherwood parish in Brisbane's western
suburbs when he befriended the boy's family in January 1974. Mr Swanwick said
the offences to which Sharwood had pleaded guilty -- involving kissing,
fondling, oral sex and masturbation -- took place in the victim's bedroom, at
Sharwood's home, in the parish car and on a rug during a picnic he took theboy
to near a creek in rural Samford, northwest of Brisbane.
The charges that Sharwood is contesting include allegations he engaged inanal
sex with his victim at a church rectory.
In 1977, after Sharwood moved to Sydney, the boy's father intercepted aletter
from the priest to the boy that clearly showed the two had been in a sexual
The father showed the letter to Sherwood rector Tom Hood, and Sharwood was
summoned from Sydney to explain himself.
Sharwood was questioned by Bishop Ralph Wicks of Brisbane's western regionand
another cleric, James Warner. Mr Swanwick said Wicks and Warner -- both now
dead -- counselled Sharwood, and allowed him to remain in the church.
The trial continues.
Abuse accused fired
Mark Oberhardt
November 01, 2006 11:00pm
AN ANGLICAN priest was fired from his job at a leading Brisbane privateschool after allegations were made he had a sexual relationship with a teenageboy from his parish nearly 30 years earlier.
The former headmaster of Brisbane's Anglican Grammar School, David Scott,told a District Court trial he "terminated" Robert Francis Sharwood's employmentas a teacher and assistant chaplain in February 2002.
Mr Scott, now the headmaster of Newington College in Sydney, said that afterallegations about the 1970s offences were made to a school board member heraised them with Sharwood, who had moved to the school in the mid-1980s.
He said he recalled Sharwood made no comment other than to say the matterswere dealt with "long ago".
Under cross examination from barrister Gary Long, for Sharwood, Mr Scottconfirmed there was another anonymous allegation made about Sharwood's behaviourat the school but an investigation found there was no substance to it. Mr Scottsaid he did not know the source of stories in The Courier-Mail in 2002about Sharwood's sacking.
In the trial the Crown is making no allegation of criminal behaviour bySharwood at Anglican Grammar and the events relate to his time as curate of theSherwood parish in the mid-1970s.
Sharwood, now 62, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault,carnal knowledge against the order of nature, permitting carnal knowledgeagainst the order of nature, and gross indecency.
Before evidence was called, Judge Fleur Kingham told the jury Sharwood had onan earlier occasion pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecent assault involvingthe same complainant.
The trial heard Sharwood was the assistant curate at St Matthews Anglicanchurch at Sherwood, and the Crown alleges from 1974 to 1976 he had a sexualrelationship with a boy, a parishioner, which developed through their mutuallove of music.
The complainant gave evidence in closed court and the former rector of StMatthews, Thomas Hood, also gave evidence.
The trial continues today.
Allow police to alert DCD of registered paedophile risk: Omodei 1st November 2006, 12:00 WST
Children could be at risk of abuse by registered sex offenders who entertheir homes but police are powerless to pass on information to the Departmentfor Community Development, according to the Opposition.
Liberal leader Paul Omodei yesterday called for changes to State lawsgoverning the Australian National Child Offender Register, saying police wereprevented from acting when registered paedophiles started relationships withwomen with young children.
Mr Omodei, who has previously supported a public child sex offender register,said the police should at least be allowed to supply the information to the DCDto ensure the welfare of the children was assessed.
Alternatively, DCD officers should be given access to the register.
"They should be able to inform the DCD when children are at risk and livingwith a registered paedophile," Mr Omodei said.
"Imagine the uproar in the community if a person on the ANCOR register abuseda child of an unsuspecting partner, who later found out that police knew thather partner was on the register but did not have the power to inform her."
The Opposition also says police are under-resourced to monitor the 700paedophiles on the sex offenders register in WA.
Confronted in State Parliament yesterday with concerns about the register,Community Development Minister David Templeman avoided questions on whether DCDofficers should be given access to ANCOR.
"I will make sure that the DCD continues to do everything it must do underits statutory obligations to ensure the protection of children in this State,"Mr Templeman said.
"I will make sure the department is accountable and if there is informationthat is related to paedophiles in this community having relationships withfamilies that are known to the department, then I will ensure that thedepartment responds appropriately."
The Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act 2004 prevents informationon the child sex offender register from being disclosed without the permissionof the Police Commissioner.
Improper disclosure is an offence punishable by fines and jail terms.
Jail for kissing attack on girl
A GIRL, 14, was sick and started dry retching after a stranger grabbed her and kissed her on the lips while she waited for a school bus. Her attacker had four previous convictions for molesting women in public places.
The Year 9 student, who was of slight build, was shocked and scared by the attack which occurred at the Gregory Street bus stop at 7.40am.
Geoffrey Doolan, 40, pleaded guilty in the District Court in Mackay yesterday to indecently assaulting the girl on August 2.
He approached her at the bus stop and started an unwanted conversation and asked her for sex, Crown prosecutor Andrew Lowrie said.
She was scared and moved towards the bus when it arrived, but Doolan grabbedher, pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek. She moved away and he grabbedher again and kissed her on the lips.
Police were called when she got to school and she provided a description ofher attacker. Doolan was located in the City Heart a short time later and hasbeen in custody since then.
The court heard that Doolan had been jailed four times in the last 10 yearsfor similar attacks.
The jail terms included: Six months in jail for grabbing a 22-year-oldwoman?s breasts and squeezing them, in Townsville, in 1996; 15 months in jailfor putting his hand up the skirt of a 13-year-old girl outside a cinema, inTownsville, in 2000; 12 months in jail for grabbing a woman, 23, and making asexual suggestion, in Townsville, in 2001; and three months in jail for kissinga woman, 36, and asking her for sex outside an ATM, in Rockhampton, in Novemberlast year.
Barrister Bronwyn Hartigan said Doolan was a homeless man who had a problemwith wine and metho and who had never been married or had children.
Judge Keith Dodds told Doolan that his behaviour was intolerable and alwayswould result in jail. Doolan was jailed for 12 months with a recommended parolerelease date of March 1 next year.
Alleged sex abuse cop bailed
November 1, 2006 - 2:56PM
A police officer accused of sexually abusing four girls over a 27-year periodhas been granted bail in the NSW Supreme Court.
The 57-year-old senior constable, who cannot be named, faces 23 chargesrelating to alleged offences against four females between 1977 and 2004, as wellas 39 child pornography charges and two counts of common assault.
The police officer, who is married and based in Sydney's south-west,allegedly threatened to kill his main victim, her friends and himself if shewent public with her allegations.
His lawyer, John Korn, today successfully argued the man should be releasedon bail.
The officer had been on restricted duties prior to his arrest because he wassuffering post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, Mr Korn said.
Because of the nature of the charges and his profession, Mr Korn said, theofficer was spending up to 23 hours a day in his cell out of fear for hissafety.
The officer has twice been refused bail in Central Local Court.
NSW Supreme Court Justice Peter Hidden today freed the man, who was notpresent in court, on $90,000 strict conditional bail.
The officer must report daily to police, surrender his passport and notapproach any points of international departure.
Justice Hidden ordered him to not approach, contact or attempt to contact anyof the complainants or witnesses, or go within 200 metres of a school orchildcare centre.
The judge also ordered he not access the internet, that he seek psychiatricassessment and treatment, and abide by two apprehended violence orders taken outagainst him.
The officer is due to appear next in Sydney's Central Local Court on November21.
Toilet nappy change man known: police
Jamie PandaramNovember 1, 2006 - 1:45PM
Were you there? Have you been in a similar situation? Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Police believe they know the identity of man who has been lurking in theparents' room of Sydney retail stores offering to change babies' nappies for $1,but are yet to question him.
The man had set up a bogus fund-raising stall in the Myer city store'slevel-five parents' room and was also selling baby goods last Thursday, claiminghe had permission from the store and City of Sydney council.
A police spokeswoman said an investigation was under way but could not yetsay when the suspect would be questioned.
The man also offered the disturbing deal to parents at the Chatswood Chasemall, according to an smh.com.au reader who wished to remain anonymous, whileBroadway Shopping Centre confirmed security had evicted a man of a similardescription from the building after receiving a complaint by a mother threeweeks ago.
Margherita Mainie was one of two mothers in the Myer parents' room when theman walked in, and another two women entered while he was still there.
"He walked in and we thought his wife would be following. He then went to theback of the room ... we could hear him rummaging around and we looked at eachother thinking this was strange," Ms Mainie, 35, said.
"Then he turned around and had a charity box; it was a tattered old box, andhe asked us if we'd like to buy a dummy for a fund-raiser. The other woman saidshe had no money. After a minute or two I asked him, 'What are you doing here?'He said 'I'm raising money for a children's charity.'
"He was very gentle and polite, anywhere else he could have been verybelievable. He said Sydney city council had given him and other people like himpermission to be in parents' rooms all over the city to raise money forcharity."
Ms Mainie told the man she did not want him in the room while she was feedingher 10-month-old son Oliver, but the man replied he was blind in one eye andwouldn't see anything.
"By this time there were four mothers in the room. Then he said: 'As part ofour charity we also change diapers for $1,' " she said.
"And we all looked at each other and knew this wasn't right."
When Ms Mainie told the man she was going to ask the Myer management and thecouncil if they had given him permission to be there, he quickly packed his boxand left. He is described as a Caucasian, aged in his 30s, with a chubbybuild.Ms Manie, who gave police a statement after the incident, wasreinterviewed by Rocks police today after the story broke.
Chatswood Chase management is now looking into claims the man also offered tochange nappies inside its parents' room.
One reader has told smh.com.au: "I was in the Chatswood Chase shopping centrewith my four-year-old and six-month-old baby when the guy came storming in andapproached another family and offered to change their son's nappy for $1. Shedeclined, saying he would cry. He approached me and told me it was for BonnieBabes and had some kind of charity tin with him.
"I refused, saying I was already done. I felt guilty about not saying yes tosuch a worthy charity. It struck me then as odd that Bonnie Babes would send amale to do a job like that considering the parents' room is also forbreastfeeding mothers.
"All the shopping centres should put warning signs in the parents'rooms."
Bonnie Babes is a charity that helps grieving parents cope with the loss of achild, and one of its counsellors said there was no way the man was a registeredmember.
"That is bizarre behaviour, the charity would never give authorisation tosuch a thing," she said.
She said numerous volunteers were given fund-raising items during theirannual charity drive for Babies Day in October, which the man could be using aspart of his guise.
A Broadway shopper, Raya Massie, encountered a man of a similar descriptionat the centre three weeks ago and was left so shaken she now refuses to enterthe parents' room of the centre.
Ms Massie said the man had set up a fund-raising stall inside the Broadwayparents' room but had positioned himself so he was not visible until she wasinside the room and turned around.
"He said he was raising money for a children's charity and had permissionfrom the centre, but I knew they wouldn't allow that sort of thing."
Ms Massie went into the room with her nine-year-old son, Jay, whom she saysis often mistaken for a girl because of his long blond hair.
"He started asking questions about my 'daughter' but I told him [Jay] was myson, and the man started saying things like 'He has lovely hair.'
"I was absolutely frightened and went out and told the security guard. I willnot go into the parents' room now."
A spokeswoman for Broadway said the security guard had told the man toleave.
When told about the diaper-changing incident at Myer, a spokesman from theCity of Sydney council said it did not give authorisation for people to sellproducts on private property such as the Myer store.
A Myer spokeswoman said: "The customer matter that has been sent to you ...was reported to our store and is currently being investigated. We are thereforenot in a position to provide any further comment on this.
"The only charity activity that is allowed in our stores is that associatedwith our Myer Community Fund initiatives ... Our parents' facilities in allstores are regularly monitored by our security personnel."
The news comes two days after smh.com.au's revelation that the Myer citystore's level-one toilet was one of hundreds of locations in Sydney being usedas meeting points for sex by users of a gay website.
The Myer city store's listing on the "cruising for sex" website squirt.orgresulted in the closure of its level-one toilet to the public after customershad seen men having sex in there. A staff member said homosexuals had been usingthe toilet for casual sex encounters for years.
"We took a proactive response to our recent awareness of our Myer Sydney citystore being listed on a questionable website and closed public access to some ofour customer toilet facilities in this store," the spokeswoman said.
"We have increased the presence of our service and selling team members andour security personnel in this area of the store. We are also working with therelevant authorities on this issue and have made a formal request to the websiteto remove any references to our store."
Among the list of meeting places on squirt.org is the Royal Australian AirForce base in Richmond. But the Department of Defence said the website wasreferring to an area close to the base but outside its compound.
"Defence has been made aware of the comments on the website to which yourefer and, following further investigation, has determined that these commentsrelate to an area of public land adjacent to the base and not within theconfines of RAAF Base Richmond," a statement by the department said.
Last Update: Wednesday, November 1, 2006. 1:00pm (AEDT)
Former priest loses appeal against paedophilia jail term
One of Tasmania's worst paedophiles has lost a Supreme Court appeal against alengthy jail term imposed last year.
Paul Ronald Goldsmith, 61, was sentenced to six and a half years' jail inDecember last year after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of indecentassault, maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person and aggravatedsexual assault between 1976 and 1987.
The former priest and school athletics coach lured teenage boys to his homeon the north-west coast with cigarettes and alcohol.
He also abused them on camping trips.
His lawyer had told the Court of Criminal Appeal Goldsmith was writing anautobiography in jail designed to help other paedophiles to control theirbehaviour.
The three judges all agreed Goldsmith's appeal should be rejected.
He will be eligible to apply for parole in 2009.
Carer faces 25 teen sex counts
CARLY CRAWFORD. Sunday Herald - Sun. Melbourne, Vic.:Oct 29, 2006. p. 13
A VICTORIAN foster carer charged with 25 sex offences allegedly preyed on
teenage girls placed in his care by state authorities.
Vincent Michael Murphy, 58, is facing charges including rape over allegations
he abused six young girls.
At least one teenager was placed in his care by the Department of Human
Services, the Sunday Herald Sun has learned.
Mr Murphy, of Shelbourne near Bendigo, has publicly admitted to maintaining a
casual babysitting service while he was under police investigation.
When the Sunday Herald Sun revealed the allegations last June, Mr Murphy
strongly denied any wrongdoing.
He accused the victims of fabricating the allegations.
Police last week served a summons on Mr Murphy, 58, detailing 25 charges.
They include rape, indecent acts with a child under 16 and sexual penetration
of a child under 16.
All the victims are female and the alleged crimes date back more than adecade.
The mother of one of the victims welcomed the charges.
"I am very positive about it and grateful to police for their efforts," she
"It's been a long time coming."
Another victim thanked police for their persistence.
Several victims came forward after the Sunday Herald Sun revealed allegations
Mr Murphy had used a pillow to cover the face of a 12- year-old while heraped
her in 2002.
DHS had suspended him from caring for children pending the police
The department removed a child from his care in 2003.
But Mr Murphy continued to advertise his childcare services on local
Police will allege that Mr Murphy was an approved carer with DHS when the
alleged abuse happened.
A filing hearing in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court is scheduled for December5.
Mr Murphy did not return calls from the Sunday Herald Sun.