Salvos Boosted Confessed Abuser

By Dan Box
The Australian
April 8, 2014

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/salvos-boosted-confessed-abuser/story-fngburq5-1226877284403#mm-premium

THE international general of the Salvation Army promoted a self-confessed child abuser to a senior rank within the church, despite a church commander in Sydney arguing against the appointment, the royal commission has heard.

The officer, Colin Haggar, had been dismissed from the charity in 1990, after confessing to having sexually molested an eight-year-old girl in regional NSW, before being readmitted three years later.

Giving evidence yesterday, Salvation Army commissioner James Condon said Mr Haggar was most recently promoted, to the rank of lieutenant colonel, because his wife, Kerry, had been appointed to a senior “cabinet” position within the church.

“There’s correspondence ... where I raised it with the general, the international leader of the Salvation Army and I said, ‘I do not want to promote Colin to the rank of lieutenant colonel’,’’ Mr Condon said.