BishopAccountability.org

Demons return on day one of Neerkol Orphanage hearing

By Austin King
Morning Bulletin
April 15, 2015

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/demons-return-on-day-1/2607446/

OPENING STATEMENT: Counsel assisting the Royal Commission Sophie David delivers the opening statement at the hearing into Neerkol Orphanage.

OLD demons came back to haunt former Neerkol Orphanage residents who lived at the institution between 1940 and 1975.

The witnesses who will give evidence throughout the two-week hearing were expected to identify the main alleged offenders of sexual abuse as Father John Anderson (deceased), Father Reginald Durham (deceased), Father Cahill (deceased) and Kevin Baker.

Mr Baker, a former employee at the orphanage, denies the allegations of sexual abuse.

A witness, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, yesterday gave evidence about the sexual abuse she suffered from Fr Durham.

The witness, who we can identify as AYB, was born and raised in Rockhampton.

Fr Durham was her parish priest. He regularly visited her family home.

From the age of 11, Fr Durham sexually abused her.

In her evidence, AYB said she was sexually abused "well over 100 times".

The orphanage was run by the Sisters of Mercy, Rockhampton, from 1885 until 1978.

The Sisters were an autonomous congregation within Australia. As such, they were independent from the Catholic Diocese.

The orphanage also accepted a small number of British child migrants and acted as a quasi-boarding school for children who were not in the care of the state.

The age of children at the orphanage ranged from young infants, including newborn babies, to 15 year olds.

The number of child residents at Neerkol varied from 150 to 500 depending on the year.

In September 1997, the Sisters of Mercy apologised unreservedly to the former residents of the orphanage at Neerkol who were victims of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual abuse.

In 1975, no further admissions were made to Neerkol and, by 1978, Neerkol closed its doors.

Criminal charges

On February 6, 1997, the Queensland police charged Father Durham with 40 sexual offences.




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