Brother on sex charges flees to Sri Lanka

NEW ZEALAND/AUSTRALIA
TVNZ

A former Catholic brother charged five months ago with hundreds of counts of sexual abuse against children and young adults is currently residing on a tea plantation in Sri Lanka because the authorities dragged their feet in extraditing him to Australia.

The former St John of God brother, Bernard Kevin McGrath, who recently served two years in a New Zealand prison for sexually abusing boys there, had 252 abuse charges laid against him in a Newcastle court on June 27.

The 65-year-old is alleged to have repeatedly raped, molested and abused dozens of young boys at church-run institutions in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese during the late 1970s and 80s.

It is understood that a number of the charges relate to McGrath’s time as a brother at the notorious Kendal Grange College in Morrissett.

Yesterday, the Sun Herald revealed that McGrath was one of three brothers being sued by Sydney’s so-called “playboy rapist” Simon Monteiro, who is currently serving a seven year nine month sentence for aggravated rape and claims that the abuse he suffered has left him with severe psychological disorders.

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