Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in the Newcastle Anglican Diocese Week 1 Wrap up | Photos

By Dominica Sanda
Newcastle Herald
August 5, 2016

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4078298/wrap-up-of-week-one-of-the-newcastle-royal-commission-photos/

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in the Newcastle Anglican diocese started on Tuesday, August 2.

Eight Anglican bishops and archbishops, including six current or past bishops of Newcastle, will give evidence into child sexual abuse in the Hunter region during the public hearing.

The commission has already heard from former Newcastle Bishops Alfred Holland and Richard Appleby. Four survivors including Phillip D’Ammond and Paul Gray have given evidence about being sexually abused as children.

Here’s a wrap up of what has happened so far, over four days of the commission:

There was a full court room for the first day of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in the Newcastle Anglican diocese with lawyers and members of the public standing.

Tuesday’s hearing focused on Father Peter Rushton and St Alban’s youth worker James (Jim) Michael Brown. Evidence was given by victims Paul Gray and Phillip D’Ammond and Suzan Aslin, the mother of an abuse survivor.

Abuse survivor Mr Gray broke down in tears as he told the comission that on many occasions father Peter Rushton would cut Mr Gray’s back with a small knife and smear his blood on his back – which was symbolic of the blood of Christ – as he continued to rape him.

"When i was about 13 years old, Father Peter Rushton took me to St Alban's Home for Boys and left me with three men. The men led me into what they called the 'fucking room' and took turns raping me,"

- Mr Gray.

In an emotional speech, Mr D’Ammond told the commission Jim Brown would take him out during the day to do normal things like going shopping and working on his hot rod, but at night Jim would assault Mr D’Ammond. Read more here.

"Within 20 minutes of being in his home, he offered me alcohol, which I took. By the time it was bed, I was drunk,"

- Mr D'Ammond.

Pamela Wilson was a Wallsend parishioner who was made aware of Father Peter Rushton’s sexual abuse of a young boy. Bishop Alfred Holland was made aware of the matter, she told the commission that Holland said it was all lies and that Rushton would never do such a thing. Holland does not recall having this conversation.

"Well, evil rides around the church,"

- Ms Wilson.

Reverend Roger Dyer gave evidence about his time at the parish, he spoke out publically about the child sexual abuse including at the Synod in 2010. He brought a motion without notice and requested the diocese accept the negative impact of sexual abuse allegations upon the work of the ministry in that diocese. He told the commission there were attempts to stop him from speaking at the Synod by Paul Rosser, David Battrick, Christopher Bird and Stephen Pullen, archdeacon of Newcastle. Read more here.

"I have been ostracised and my reputation and credibility have been damaged. By speaking out I have lost the opportunity to exercise my vocation which is devastating to me,"

- Mr Dyer.

Bishop Holland confirmed he had no knowledge of the child sexual abuse criminal proceedings against Stephen Gray during his time as Newcastle Diocese bishop. Bishop Holland was questioned about a character reference he produced for Stephen Gray to help him move on in life. Read more here.

"What I was told was that there had been a wild party in the rectory, it had been a gathering of homosexuals, and it had turned nasty and they trashed the rectory. That's what I thought it was all about,"

- Bishop Holland.

Former Bishop Richard Appleby gave evidence and insisted he had no knowledge of inappropriate relationships or of child sex abuse allegations during his term in the diocese. Questions were raised about the church’s responsibility to the children at the time and the actions the church took after the allegations were exposed. Read more here.

"Mr O’Brien the assertion that I was protecting the church and CKC is not true and the fact in your assertion that I am protecting myself is certainly not true,"

- Bishop Appleby.

Priest Colvin Ford gave his statements which referred to the “gang of three” who were protecting Peter Rushton. Ford revealed an incident in 1998 incident where which a team of removalists was forced to pack up homosexual pornography – including some allegedly involving children – while its owner, Father Peter Rushton, stood by watching. Read more here.

"His [Peter Rushton] rudeness, sharp tongue and gayness were well known in the Diocese of Newcastle,"

- Mr Ford.

Child abuse victim CKA gave evidence involving priest child sex abuser CKC, who abused CKA and his brother CKB. CKA talked about the effect the abuse had on his life and the difficulties he had trying to report the abuse. He said the process of reporting the abuse was as bad as the abuse itself. Read more here.

“I was 10 years old at the time and CKC was about 30. For the five years I served as an altar boy from 1971 to 1975 he sexually abused me. or the five years he was an alter boy, CKC sexually abused him. The abuse took place fortnightly and escalated over time. It consisted of groping, fondling, oral sex, digital and penile anal penetration,"

- CKA.

The list of 30 witnesses includes former Bishops of Newcastle Roger Herft and Brian Farran, former trustee and member of Newcastle Diocesan Council Keith Allen, former diocese registrar Peter Mitchell, former diocesan solicitor Robert Caddies, and former chancellor Paul Rosser, QC.

The royal commission will hear evidence from five survivors of child sexual abuse within the diocese, their family members including the mother of a survivor, a former diocese youth worker and parishioner.

The Herald will continue with its rolling coverage of the commission on Monday from 10am with Joanne McCarthy live blogging from the hearing.

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