Child Sexual Abuse Royal Commission: Victim Says He Was Abused "Because of" Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall

By Emilie Gramenz
ABC News
January 27, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-27/brisbane-archbishop-blamed-for-abuse-at-royal-commission/7118912

PHOTO: Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall has been accused of encouraging a boy to sleep in the bed of clergyman who later abused him. (ABC Hobart)

A royal commission witness in Hobart has blamed now-Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall for the abuse he suffered at the hands of a convicted paedophile.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining responses to sexual abuse allegations in the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS), which is run through the Anglican Church.

The witness known as BYF said he was heavily involved in Anglican Church youth groups and told the hearing it was common for youth group members to stay on floors in rectories or people's homes while travelling.

BYF told the commission he stayed at the rectory with Tasmanian rector Garth Hawkins while travelling with another youth, Phillip Aspinall, who is now Archbishop of Brisbane.

The hearing heard he and Mr Aspinall were sleeping on the floor when Hawkins came into the room, sat next to BYF and ran his fingers through his hair, telling him he was good looking and offering for him to sleep in his bed.

BYF refused.

He told the hearing the next day he discussed the advance with Mr Aspinall, who had been awake and part of the conversation.

Some time later BYF was travelling with another person through Triabunna on Tasmania's east coast, where Hawkins had been moved.

Mr Aspinall and some other boys from Hobart were staying at the rectory and going sailing the next day.

BYF told the hearing he was invited to stay at the rectory and go sailing, and the boys all slept on the floor of the living room.

He's the one who said, 'I want you to go into his bed', and that's why I was abused, because of Archbishop Aspinall.

Abuse victim BYF

BYF said Hawkins came into the living room that night and offered for one of the boys to sleep in his bed.

He said Mr Aspinall volunteered him and "made a big thing of it", saying he felt he had to go with Hawkins and "did not want to look daft".

BYF told the hearing that night he was forced to perform oral sex and was anally raped by Hawkins.

"I couldn't believe that after I'd told Aspinall my concerns, he would deliberately send me to Hawkins' bed," BYF said.

The hearing heard BYF later told Mr Aspinall that Hawkins had "done something" to him, and he was dismissive and ignored it.

Under cross-examination from Archbishop Aspinall's lawyer, BYF continued to blame him.

"He put me in that bed, he made that decision after I'd told him that I was concerned that Hawkins was going to abuse me," BYF said.

"He's the one who said, 'I want you to go into his bed', and that's why I was abused, because of Archbishop Aspinall."