AUSTRALIA
news.com.au
A SERIAL paedophile had a labrador called Jason which was used as a possible “grooming device” against his students, the Royal Commission into child sex abuse has been told.
Former headmaster Brother Terence Heinrich has admitted it was “very peculiar” for brothers at Marist College Canberra to have dogs and pupils were “certainly” attracted to this one.
Brother Heinrich, 68, told a hearing in Canberra Brother John Chute, known as Brother Kostka, was not the only brother who ever had a dog.
“But certainly it was most unusual,” he conceded.
The Royal Commission is also looking into fellow Marist Brother Gregory Sutton, who abused children during his teaching years at several schools in the ACT, NSW and Queensland and was sentenced to 18 years jail for child sex offences.
Lawyer Peter O’Brien, representing former student Damian De Marco, put it to the headmaster that the labrador could have been used by Brother Kostka to “carry out his paedophilic behaviour”.
“I can’t agree with that notion, no,” Brother Heinrich replied.
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