Latest news with #NationalSexualAbuseandRedressSupportService
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
School principal's historical sexual abuse appeal fails
A former school principal and Catholic brother has been ordered to return to prison after his child sexual abuse conviction appeal was dismissed. Desmond Gregory Mackrell was convicted in March by a Queensland District Court jury of repeated sexual conduct with a child and two counts of carnal knowledge against a boy aged between 13 and 15. Mackrell was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment but was later granted bail after launching his appeal. The Queensland Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed Mackrell's bid to overturn his convictions. Mackrell committed the offences in his office and a school toilet in the early 1980s. In one of the incidents Mackrell held the boy down while he was sexually assaulted by another Catholic brother. Mackrell's convictions were unreasonable and could not be supported by the evidence, Appeal Justices Debra Mullins, Thomas Bradley and Philip Morrison were told at hearing in July. Barrister Tim Ryan, appearing for Mackrell, conceded that there was no issue as to the credibility of the evidence given by the man who testified he was abused as a child. He said the real issue was the reliability of that evidence. Mr Ryan said the man's various memories of sexual acts committed by Mackrell were no more than "just dreams and nightmares". At trial, the man agreed he "began having shards of memory that began to develop and piece together" following periods of worsening anxiety in 2019. Justice Morrison said, in a ruling supported by the other two justices, that there were reasons to doubt the reliability of the man's evidence but it was still open to the jury to find Mackrell guilty, "The jury's advantage in seeing and hearing the evidence is capable of resolving that doubt, and therefore no miscarriage of justice has occurred," Justice Morrison said. "The jury heard and saw the (victim) over two days of evidence, and under cross-examination about matters which, they would accept, were extremely painful for the (man) to recall and talk about." The justices issued a warrant for Mackrell's apprehension that would only be executed if necessary after five business days. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
The Advertiser
01-08-2025
- The Advertiser
Ex-Marist brother sexually abused pupil 40 years ago
A former high school student's recollection of historical molestation by a Catholic brother remained uninfected by a later mental breakdown, a judge has found. Cyril Alfred Hughes, 82, was found guilty on Friday of two counts of the since repealed legislation of homosexual intercourse between a teacher and a pupil. The alleged victim, who cannot be legally named, was sexually abused in Hughes' office at Marist Brothers College in western Sydney in 1985. Hughes - who was known as Brother Thomas - was found unfit to stand trial in the Parramatta District Court in April because of a constellation of health conditions including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic back pain and kidney failure. At a three-week special hearing, crown prosecutor Heidi Cantor said the former teacher's conduct escalated from touching - including at a school sports carnival - to massaging the boy's intimate parts and more. Defence barrister Bill Neild SC said the alleged abuse never occurred, accusing the victim of fabricating his claims for financial gain. The allegations were also unreliable, having been infected by a controversial therapy called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing which was known to create false memories, the court was told. Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found the day student's memories regarding the rape were reliable even though he could not remember specific details of what happened. "I have no difficulty finding the complainant to have been a forthright and honest witness," she said. But Hughes was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault where he allegedly touched the boy's genitals between November 1982 and February 1984. The judge found that this claimed abuse stemmed from memories "returning" to him in more detail during a breakdown in 2017. She said she could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the memories were not a "repressed" memory which could be false. The alleged indecent assault was said to have occurred in the school's teacher's lounge. However, this lounge was officially opened in March 1984, after the period of the claimed abuse. The victim watched silently in court as judgment was handed down and declined to comment afterwards. Hughes did not say anything outside court but shielded his face with a green folder as he left flanked by his solicitor Greg Walsh and a support person. The 82-year-old will face a sentence hearing on November 7. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former high school student's recollection of historical molestation by a Catholic brother remained uninfected by a later mental breakdown, a judge has found. Cyril Alfred Hughes, 82, was found guilty on Friday of two counts of the since repealed legislation of homosexual intercourse between a teacher and a pupil. The alleged victim, who cannot be legally named, was sexually abused in Hughes' office at Marist Brothers College in western Sydney in 1985. Hughes - who was known as Brother Thomas - was found unfit to stand trial in the Parramatta District Court in April because of a constellation of health conditions including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic back pain and kidney failure. At a three-week special hearing, crown prosecutor Heidi Cantor said the former teacher's conduct escalated from touching - including at a school sports carnival - to massaging the boy's intimate parts and more. Defence barrister Bill Neild SC said the alleged abuse never occurred, accusing the victim of fabricating his claims for financial gain. The allegations were also unreliable, having been infected by a controversial therapy called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing which was known to create false memories, the court was told. Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found the day student's memories regarding the rape were reliable even though he could not remember specific details of what happened. "I have no difficulty finding the complainant to have been a forthright and honest witness," she said. But Hughes was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault where he allegedly touched the boy's genitals between November 1982 and February 1984. The judge found that this claimed abuse stemmed from memories "returning" to him in more detail during a breakdown in 2017. She said she could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the memories were not a "repressed" memory which could be false. The alleged indecent assault was said to have occurred in the school's teacher's lounge. However, this lounge was officially opened in March 1984, after the period of the claimed abuse. The victim watched silently in court as judgment was handed down and declined to comment afterwards. Hughes did not say anything outside court but shielded his face with a green folder as he left flanked by his solicitor Greg Walsh and a support person. The 82-year-old will face a sentence hearing on November 7. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former high school student's recollection of historical molestation by a Catholic brother remained uninfected by a later mental breakdown, a judge has found. Cyril Alfred Hughes, 82, was found guilty on Friday of two counts of the since repealed legislation of homosexual intercourse between a teacher and a pupil. The alleged victim, who cannot be legally named, was sexually abused in Hughes' office at Marist Brothers College in western Sydney in 1985. Hughes - who was known as Brother Thomas - was found unfit to stand trial in the Parramatta District Court in April because of a constellation of health conditions including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic back pain and kidney failure. At a three-week special hearing, crown prosecutor Heidi Cantor said the former teacher's conduct escalated from touching - including at a school sports carnival - to massaging the boy's intimate parts and more. Defence barrister Bill Neild SC said the alleged abuse never occurred, accusing the victim of fabricating his claims for financial gain. The allegations were also unreliable, having been infected by a controversial therapy called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing which was known to create false memories, the court was told. Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found the day student's memories regarding the rape were reliable even though he could not remember specific details of what happened. "I have no difficulty finding the complainant to have been a forthright and honest witness," she said. But Hughes was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault where he allegedly touched the boy's genitals between November 1982 and February 1984. The judge found that this claimed abuse stemmed from memories "returning" to him in more detail during a breakdown in 2017. She said she could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the memories were not a "repressed" memory which could be false. The alleged indecent assault was said to have occurred in the school's teacher's lounge. However, this lounge was officially opened in March 1984, after the period of the claimed abuse. The victim watched silently in court as judgment was handed down and declined to comment afterwards. Hughes did not say anything outside court but shielded his face with a green folder as he left flanked by his solicitor Greg Walsh and a support person. The 82-year-old will face a sentence hearing on November 7. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 A former high school student's recollection of historical molestation by a Catholic brother remained uninfected by a later mental breakdown, a judge has found. Cyril Alfred Hughes, 82, was found guilty on Friday of two counts of the since repealed legislation of homosexual intercourse between a teacher and a pupil. The alleged victim, who cannot be legally named, was sexually abused in Hughes' office at Marist Brothers College in western Sydney in 1985. Hughes - who was known as Brother Thomas - was found unfit to stand trial in the Parramatta District Court in April because of a constellation of health conditions including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic back pain and kidney failure. At a three-week special hearing, crown prosecutor Heidi Cantor said the former teacher's conduct escalated from touching - including at a school sports carnival - to massaging the boy's intimate parts and more. Defence barrister Bill Neild SC said the alleged abuse never occurred, accusing the victim of fabricating his claims for financial gain. The allegations were also unreliable, having been infected by a controversial therapy called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing which was known to create false memories, the court was told. Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found the day student's memories regarding the rape were reliable even though he could not remember specific details of what happened. "I have no difficulty finding the complainant to have been a forthright and honest witness," she said. But Hughes was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault where he allegedly touched the boy's genitals between November 1982 and February 1984. The judge found that this claimed abuse stemmed from memories "returning" to him in more detail during a breakdown in 2017. She said she could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the memories were not a "repressed" memory which could be false. The alleged indecent assault was said to have occurred in the school's teacher's lounge. However, this lounge was officially opened in March 1984, after the period of the claimed abuse. The victim watched silently in court as judgment was handed down and declined to comment afterwards. Hughes did not say anything outside court but shielded his face with a green folder as he left flanked by his solicitor Greg Walsh and a support person. The 82-year-old will face a sentence hearing on November 7. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Perth Now
01-08-2025
- Perth Now
Ex-Marist brother sexually abused pupil 40 years ago
A former high school student's recollection of historical molestation by a Catholic brother remained uninfected by a later mental breakdown, a judge has found. Cyril Alfred Hughes, 82, was found guilty on Friday of two counts of the since repealed legislation of homosexual intercourse between a teacher and a pupil. The alleged victim, who cannot be legally named, was sexually abused in Hughes' office at Marist Brothers College in western Sydney in 1985. Hughes - who was known as Brother Thomas - was found unfit to stand trial in the Parramatta District Court in April because of a constellation of health conditions including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic back pain and kidney failure. At a three-week special hearing, crown prosecutor Heidi Cantor said the former teacher's conduct escalated from touching - including at a school sports carnival - to massaging the boy's intimate parts and more. Defence barrister Bill Neild SC said the alleged abuse never occurred, accusing the victim of fabricating his claims for financial gain. The allegations were also unreliable, having been infected by a controversial therapy called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing which was known to create false memories, the court was told. Judge Karen Robinson on Friday found the day student's memories regarding the rape were reliable even though he could not remember specific details of what happened. "I have no difficulty finding the complainant to have been a forthright and honest witness," she said. But Hughes was found not guilty of two further counts of indecent assault where he allegedly touched the boy's genitals between November 1982 and February 1984. The judge found that this claimed abuse stemmed from memories "returning" to him in more detail during a breakdown in 2017. She said she could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the memories were not a "repressed" memory which could be false. The alleged indecent assault was said to have occurred in the school's teacher's lounge. However, this lounge was officially opened in March 1984, after the period of the claimed abuse. The victim watched silently in court as judgment was handed down and declined to comment afterwards. Hughes did not say anything outside court but shielded his face with a green folder as he left flanked by his solicitor Greg Walsh and a support person. The 82-year-old will face a sentence hearing on November 7. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Perth Now
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Disgraced state MP jailed after sex abuse convictions
A disgraced state MP has been escorted behind bars days after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two young men. Kiama MP Gareth Ward, 44, was found guilty earlier in July by a NSW District Court jury of one sexual intercourse without consent and three indecent assault charges. On Wednesday, Judge Kara Shead ordered that the politician be imprisoned ahead of sentence. His barrister Edward Anderson earlier urged the court to keep his client on bail as he would be a target in prison because of his high profile and the sexual nature of the offences. Judge Shead said protective measures could be put in place if needed. The judge also declined to extend bail because of Ward's poor vision as a result of his oculocutaneous albinism. The 44-year-old invited a drunk 18-year-old man - whom he met a year prior - to his South Coast home in February 2013. The man told the jury that Ward plied him with drinks before indecently assaulting him three times in one night, despite his attempts to resist. Two years later, the long-time MP sexually assaulted an intoxicated political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW Parliament House in 2015. The man, who was 24 at the time but is now in his 30s, said Ward climbed into bed with him, groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying "no". On Monday, NSW Premier Chris Minns called on the independent MP to immediately resign, saying it would be "ridiculous" for him to continue serving the state after being found guilty of sexual abuse. The premier said he had received legal advice that the former Liberal could be expelled from parliament if required. Ward has yet to be sentenced and still has time to lodge an appeal of his convictions. Ward has held the Kiama electorate since 2011, winning three elections under the Liberal banner before securing the 2023 poll as an independent. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Perth Now
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago: Trump
US President Donald Trump says Jeffrey Epstein "stole" young women, including Virginia Giuffre, who worked for the spa at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The acknowledgement is the latest evolution in Trump's description of how his highly scrutinised relationship with Epstein ended years ago. Trump's comments expanded on remarks when he said he had banned Epstein from his private club in Florida two decades ago because his one-time friend "stole people that worked for me." At the time, he did not make clear who those workers were. The president has faced an outcry over his administration's refusal to release more records about Epstein after promises of transparency, a rare example of strain within Trump's tightly controlled political coalition. Trump has attempted to tamp down questions about the case, expressing annoyance that people are still talking about it six years after Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial. Aboard Air Force One while returning from Scotland, Trump said he was upset Epstein was "taking people who worked for me." The women, he said, were "taken out of the spa, hired by him - in other words, gone." "I said, listen, we don't want you taking our people," Trump said. When it happened again, Trump said he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago. Asked if Giuffre was one of the employees poached by Epstein, he demurred but then said "he stole her." The White House originally said Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago because he was acting like a "creep." Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year. She claimed that Ghislaine Maxwell spotted her working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in 2000, when she was a teenager, and hired her as Epstein's masseuse, which led to sexual abuse. Although Giuffre's allegations did not become part of criminal prosecutions against Epstein, she is central to conspiracy theories about the case. She accused Epstein of pressuring her into having sex with powerful men. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
