Former Foster Carer Jailed for Abusing Seven Children

Introduction by Dee McLachlan

I have lost count on the number of sexual abuse accounts I have read (and heard) over the last eight months. And when I say “accounts”, I mean truly despicable descriptions of sexual, physical and psychological abuse on young children and babies. There may have been “touching”, but more often it is about some form of penetration, and/or aggravated assault in one form or other. I have also been told how these children had to endure death threats, or threats of harm if they spoke out.

And yes, these children were generally not believed by the police, social workers, the ICLs (Independent Children’s Lawyers), or the judges. 

I am posting below a story of how one Perth abuser (a foster carer) is now facing 15 years jail. And, consistent with the accounts to the Royal Commission, when a child was not believed, the abuse generally continued. So, in the reports below, it describes how this carer went on to abuse three more children because they didn’t believe the one girl when she first spoke out.

The first article is from the West Australian, entitled, Victim’s letter helps uncover foster carer’s horrific crimes against seven children:

“A former foster carer [73 years old] who sexually abused seven children in his care used viagra to carry out his crimes against his victims but told authorities he was impotent…

“For years he managed to fool the Department of Child Protection and police with his lies ingratiating himself with case workers and officers and then blamed the children even having them removed when they complained.

“However, his horrific deceit was finally uncovered in 2016 after a letter by written by one of his victims, who was eight years old at the time, was discovered in which she wrote: “I feel safe when loved. I feel sad when I have sex with my granddad.”

“Today the former painter and decorator, who was originally from Northern Ireland, was sentenced to 15 years and four months for the “systematic” sexual abuse of the vulnerable children who had been placed in his care… The five girls and two boys were aged between six and 10 years old at the time while the former painter and decorator was aged between 62 and 69 years.

“The abuse only came to light after a case worker stumbled across one of the victim’s belongings. In the box was a letter the girl had written which said: “I feel safe when loved. I feel sad when I have sex with my granddad.”

“The abuse of the girl, who was eight at the time, occurred two years after the Department for Child Protection received a different allegation of sexual abuse from another child under the man’s care. She was removed from their care that same day and no charges were laid against him. The Department of Child Protection continued to place children in his care.”

The ABC report added:

“The child was threatened with harm if she revealed abuse. [This is very typical, and should be one of the red flags when abuse is disclosed by children.]

“Judge Stevenson said the carer had engaged in ‘relationship building’ with the authorities to mask his offending. He described the crimes as having ‘a degree of preparation and pre-planning’… The court heard the man’s abuse started within 14 days of his first victim coming to live at his house and in one instance he put duct tape over her mouth to keep her quiet.

He also threatened some of the victims, telling one he would hurt her if she told anyone… The carer, who maintains his innocence, was sentenced to 15 years and four months in jail.”

The Lesson Learned

What can we take away from this? Listen to the child maybe?

The Queensland government advise that “child abuse doesn’t go away and usually becomes more serious over time.” They also say, “It’s important to act as soon as you suspect child abuse, or if a child tells you they’ve been abused.” However, they also advise “asking questions like ‘can you tell me more about that?’ and let the child talk in their own words.” But beware, this can have serious ramifications later if it is the protective parent asking the questions. That parent can thereafter easily be accused of “coaching” or “pressuring” — resulting in authorities not believing the child.

In South Australia, for example, there is an Interagency Code of Practice. This requires that the child “must always be listened to, believed, and investigated before anything else”. In Western Australia, they read the simple note, believed, and took action.