Clergy "Washed Hands" of Abuse Complaints at Brisbane School, Inquiry Told

ABC
November 12, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4350803.htm?site=brisbane

TIM PALMER: To the latest from the child abuse royal commission, where former governor-general Peter Hollingworth has been accused of "washing his hands" of sexual abuse concerns at a Brisbane school. That allegation was made by a former teacher at St Paul's School.

And in a long-awaited appearance, the school's former headmaster, Gilbert Case, was also questioned about his knowledge of the abuse at the time. He told the hearing he didn't think the behaviour was criminal.

Thomas Oriti reports, and a warning: this story contains graphic details some listeners may find disturbing.

THOMAS ORITI: It was January 1997 when Kevin John Lynch took his own life. And about 500 people went to the funeral, paying tribute to the man who'd been a staple part of their school.

As the counsellor at St Paul's in Brisbane's north, he'd seen countless students for years behind locked doors. A number of them have given evidence at the royal commission this week and there appears to be a common theme.

They were repeatedly sexually abused by a man they thought they could trust, both on the school grounds, and in Lynch's family home.

And some maintain that they complained to the then headmaster, Gilbert Case, who was questioned by counsel assisting, David Lloyd, this afternoon.

DAVID LLOYD: Is this right, that throughout the time you were in charge of St Paul's, you didn't realise that a teacher exposing their genitals to students might be a criminal offence?

GILBERT CASE: That's right.

(Laughter from public gallery)

DAVID LLOYD: And, may I ask you this question: even though you've just identified that as being your view in terms of an exposure by an adult teacher of their genitals to students, you'd have no doubt throughout the entire time at St Paul's that you were there, that if the behaviour of the adult teacher extended to the adult teacher touching or fondling the genitals of students in their care, that would plainly be a criminal act?

GILBERT CASE: I probably did not think of that in terms of criminal acts.

THOMAS ORITI: Kevin Lynch died the day after he was charged with nine child sex offences.

And according to former teacher Craig Patterson, St Paul's went into damage control.

CRAIG PATTERSON: They reached to the pile of documents, which was handed out to everybody on staff, and said "this is our sexual harassment bullying policy, which of course you all are aware of", which inferred that it was something that we had seen before.

And my reaction, and the reaction of the staff around me was, basically, "I've never seen that, what is that?"

THOMAS ORITI: But the rumours in the staff room were inevitable. And it wasn't long before Craig Patterson was told he was "forbidden" to mention Kevin Lynch.

Mr Patterson can't remember who gave that instruction. He is clear about another remark though, made about the then-Anglican archbishop of Brisbane, Peter Hollingworth, who'd later become Australia's governor-general.

CRAIG PATTERSON: Mr Case announced to the staff that, number one, because this was circulating the whole thing about how the archbishop, which was Hollingworth, was involved or not involved, or what was going on, announced that the archbishop had washed his hands of the matter, and that it was going to be dealt with in house.

THOMAS ORITI: Peter Hollingworth's barrister, Caroline Kirton QC, referred to a statement released at the time by the former chairman of the St Paul's Board, saying that the diocese assumed full control of the matter.

But for former teacher Craig Patterson, the diocese could've done more. And he says when he wrote his resignation letter in 1999, he made reference to the church knowing about paedophilia at the school.

He told the hearing that Gilbert Case threatened legal action.

CRAIG PATTERSON: The rumours were actually starting to become overwhelming. It was a low rumble, so to speak, and as the time progressed, it became a torrent.

THOMAS ORITI: But questioning Gilbert Case about his conduct proved to be a challenge, with the former headmaster repeatedly claiming he couldn't remember the chain of events.

Counsel assisting David Lloyd.

DAVID LLOYD: That was a matter for the police, wasn't it?

GILBERT CASE: It would've been, yes.

DAVID LLOYD: And you should have reported an allegation of that sort to the council.

GILBERT CASE: I have no memory of those incidents.

THOMAS ORITI: That was until David Lloyd produced a memo written by the former headmaster in 1984.

DAVID LLOYD: "BRX cup penis and testes."

GILBERT CASE: Yes.

DAVID LLOYD: Pretty likely that you knew at the time you wrote those words, that there was an allegation made that Knight was fondling BRX's genitals when he was searching for cigarettes, correct?

GILBERT CASE: That's possible, yes.

DAVID LLOYD: Well, in terms of the possibilities, can you think of another one?

GILBERT CASE: No.

THOMAS ORITI: Gilbert Case told the hearing he acknowledged that some students found him "arrogant and offensive", but he said he disagreed.

Peter Hollingworth is expected to appear at the royal commission tomorrow.

TIM PALMER: Thomas Oriti reporting.