Claim Top Priest Saved Career by Not Reporting Sex Monster

By Sherele Moody
Sunshine Coast Daily
July 22, 2016

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/did-senior-priest-save-career-not-reporting-sex-mo/3065764/

ONE of Australia's most senior Anglican clerics is refusing to comment on claims he did not report a "paedophile king pin" despite knowing the notorious sex monster was attacking young boys in the NSW Hunter region.

The 7.30 Report last night revealed Achbishop of Perth Roger Herft knew Father Peter Rushton was raping and sexually assaulting children.

However, the Archbishop told media outlets it would be "inappropriate" to comment before the next sittings of the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.

Archbishop Herft reportedly kept the abuser's attacks secret because he it appeared he feared the impact having an sex predator under his management would have on his career with the church.

The ABC was given a diary entry showing Archbishop Herft was told about about Rushton's abuse of boys while the pair were working in the New South Wales Hunter Valley region.

Two paedophile rings reportedly had access to children staying in the region's St Alban's Home For Boys.

The home was both an orphanage and a training facility for would be priests.

"(The complaint) left me in an unenviable position," the Archbishop reportedly wrote in the diary.

"Father Peter had my licence (to be a priest) and if he re-offended I would be held liable as I now had prior knowledge of his alleged behaviour."

The Anglican Church in 2010 publicly admitted Rushton was an abuser.

Former St Alban's Boys resident and abuse victim Paul Gray described Rushton as the "kingpin" in the two paedophile rings.

"The worst part with all the abuse that Father Peter did with me, he took me to the boys home in Aberdare away from where I lived and he left me with three men," Mr Gray told the ABC.

"And I remember calling out to him to not leave me there and he did, and I was taken there many times.

"The man who ran it I used to call the gatekeeper.

"He used to lock you in the room and other people would come in and out of that room but sometimes he would come in that room as well."

The Royal Commission will investigate child sex abuse related to the Anglican Diocese from August 2. - ARM NEWSDESK