More Former Staff Implicated in Sex Abuse Claims at St Patrick's College

By Marissa Calligeros
The Age
February 25, 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/more-former-staff-implicated-in-sex-abuse-claims-at-st-patricks-college-20150225-13o6k7.html

The sex abuse scandal at St Patrick's College in Sale has widened, with police investigations focusing on more former employees of the school.

Detectives from the child-exploitation Sano Taskforce revealed last week that they were investigating claims of sexual abuse at the former boarding school in south-east Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s.

Since then, the taskforce has received "many calls" relating to new complaints of child abuse at the Catholic school that implicate a number of former school employees.

Previously investigators were focusing their attention on one offender.

Detectives interviewed an 87-year-old Sale man last Thursday, but he was later released pending further enquiries.

The fresh claims have been made by former male boarders at the school, who were aged between nine and 16 at the time.

The taskforce received the first complaint about 12 months ago.

Detective Inspector Stephen Dennis said it was apparent that the initial reported incidents were not isolated.

"Callers from throughout Australia and overseas have been in contact with Sano Taskforce investigators in Melbourne and have indicated that other former school employees may be implicated in the sexual abuse of students," he said.

"We believe there may still be more people out there who can be of assistance to police and we urge them to come forward and provide information."

Detectives would like to speak to any victims or witnesses who have information relating to sexual abuse at the college during the 1970s and 1980s.

The boarding school, which was run by the Marist Brothers, closed in 1980.

The Marist Brothers issued a statement last week saying the order would also co-operate with police.

"We take this opportunity to reiterate our enduring apology to those in our charge who have suffered past abuse and the impact of that on their lives," the statement says.

"We also actively encourage any person with evidence of criminal behaviour to take that to the police of the appropriate investigation."

The college became a co-educational school in the 1990s with the amalgamation of St Patrick's College and the town's girls-only school, Our Lady of Sion College.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Sano Taskforce toll free line on 1800 110 007, or make a confidential report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.