AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
September 15, 2013
Rory Callinan
Investigative journalist
The paedophile former scoutmaster at the centre of the first royal commission into child abuse was employed as a housemaster by a notorious order of paedophile brothers, Fairfax Media can reveal.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse begins its hearings on Monday, with the activities of former Newcastle scoutmaster Steven Larkins among those to feature.
Larkins, who is serving a 15-month sentence for fraud and possession of child pornography, was able to become chief executive of the Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services, in charge of vulnerable children, despite being involved in paedophile activity with scouts in the 1990s.
He was sacked from the CEO’s job after being caught with child pornography in 2011. A further investigation led to him being convicted of falsifying documents that enabled him to work with children despite his paedophile background.
The commission’s hearings are expected to examine how Scouts Australia, Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services and the then Community Services Department responded to the allegations and information about Larkins. …
Whistleblower and former scout leader Armand Hotink, who complained to the scouts about Larkins’ suspected paedophile activities in the 1990s, said he had discovered Larkins was working at Kendall Grange, a school for troubled boys run by the St John of God brothers.
He said he had warned police, who told him they were ”keeping an eye” on Larkins.
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