HOSTEL Abuse Victim "Tried to Kill Warden"

9 News
May 24, 2012

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8472742/hostel-abuse-victim-tried-to-kill-warden

A young victim of sexual abuse at a state-run boarding hostel in Western Australia says he tried to kill the warden who indecently assaulted him.

The victim, who was identified as "L" at an inquiry into events at the new defunct St Christopher's Hostel in Northam from 1963 until 1977, also said he lost all faith in organised religion as a result of the abuse but still believed in god.

The inquiry centres on the bizarre behaviour of the late Roy Wenlock, who was the warden at the facility during this period until he was forced to resign.

Mr Wenlock, who was never charged or convicted of any sexual offence, would bring boys into his unit at the hostel and force them to wrestle with him in their underpants or with their shirts off in acts described by counsel assisting the inquiry, Philip Urquhart, as "simulated sexual intercourse".

On Thursday, "L" told the inquiry he was subjected to these "bruting" sessions twice.

The first time, he could feel Mr Wenlock's semi-erect penis pushing into his lower back but did not resist out of fear of disobeying an authority figure.

"I just did what I was told," he said.

"L", who was then in Year 11 or 12, left in disgust but was lured back a second time when he struck Wenlock - who he knew had a weak heart - several times in the chest in an unsuccessful attempt to kill him.

"I wanted to kill him."

He said he then ran out of the unit, very upset.

"I'd been trying to kill the warden."

"L" said he had been brought up in a Christian family, but after being sent to the Anglican hostel, he "saw the hypocrisy of the church" and had no faith since then.

Now aged 52, he also told the inquiry he had been an advanced "A student" in his early school years but after the abuse, his performance deteriorated and he couldn't get into university.

Part of that was attributed to laziness, but "it wasn't a good environment".