AUSTRALIA
The Leader
June 28, 2019
By Murray Trembath
A former Church of England Boys’ Society lay leader and scripture teacher at Sutherland has been sentenced to a minimum three years and seven months jail for historical child sexual assault offences.
Many of the offences occurred in church-run camps for boys in Royal National Park.
William Richmond Sandwell, 78, of Loftus, appeared in the District Court, Downing Centre, after a jury found him guilty of 11 child sexual assault offences, committed against six children between 1965 and 1985.
Sandwell, who also used the name Sandell at one time, denied the offences.
Among “survivors” in court for the sentencing was Alexander Hayes, who now lives in Perth.
Mr Hayes said outside the court Sandwell’s assaults on him between the ages of 11 and 15 had had a “catastrophic effect on my life and a horrific impact on many families, including his own.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.