A paedophile scoutmaster who was caught showering with children and putting love notes under their doors evaded prosecution for years.
This was among the evidence presented at the first public hearing for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which is looking at how organisations handled allegations against convicted paedophile Steven Larkins.
The former scout leader and children’s services worker last year pleaded guilty to a number of offences included the aggravated indecent assault of two children, aged 11 and 12, possession of child abuse material and dishonesty offences to avoid detection.
The inquiry heard Larkins – who had been reported to police for giving out lollies to recruit children to the Scouts – had falsified documents and nominated himself as a contact for his own background check.
Senior counsel for the commission Gail Furness told the hearing that Mr Larkins’ contact with five institutions are being examined.
They are Scouts Australia, NSW branch; Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services (HACS); the former Department of Community Services (DoCS); the Commission for Children and Young People and NSW Police.
“This case study is expected to provide important insights into how and why a person about whom there were concerns since the early 1990s remained as a scout leader, evaded a state-run vetting process designed to expose him, escaped early prosecution, obtained employment in a non-government agency charged with providing a safe place for children – which itself was under the close scrutiny of the state – and was allowed to be the carer of a young person,” she said.
The inquiry heard that in 1998 the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was asked for advice on whether to prosecute Larkins for the aggravated indecent assault of a child, known as AC.
It heard that the case was dropped after police incorrectly told the victim’s mother the prosecution was not likely.
“COPS, the (police) recording system recorded that Senior Constable Amloh told Senior Constable Turney that the DPP advised that the prosecution was not likely to proceed,” the Senior Counsel said.
“A conversation with AC’s mother, AB, took place shortly thereafter.
“The evidence before this royal commission is likely to show that the DPP was not of that view, and indeed a few days later the DPP wrote to Senior Constable Turney recommending that the prosecution go ahead.”
The inquiry heard that AC’s mother later told police her son was no longer willing to proceed with the prosecution because of “delay and the initial misinformation.”
Falsifying documents
Ms Furness also told the commission that Larkins had been assessed as ‘medium risk’ after applying for a working with children check from DoCS in 2003.
The senior counsel said Larkins was able to nominate himself as the contact person for his own background check and was subsequently informed of the assessment decision, although nobody else at the Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services was.
She said the next year he sought to have that assessment overturned on the basis that he had never been charged or convicted.
She said he also falsified a statutory declaration which stated that as coordinator of HACS he did not have direct contact with children.
“Mr Larkins confirmed that this was the case in a statutory declaration,” she said.
“The evidence will reveal that this declaration was falsely created.
“Mr Larkins was asked to have his supervisor provide support for his assertion.
“He provided a letter from a person he claimed to be a supervisor, which purported to confirm that Mr Larkins did not have direct unsupervised contact with children.
“The evidence will reveal that that letter was falsely created by Mr Larkins.”
The Senior Counsel said that as a result the medium risk assessment was withdrawn.
“Now in the meantime, Mr Larkins had created a false Working with Children check which he had placed on his file at HACS,” she said.
“That was dated February 2003, although the time at which he placed it is unknown. But importantly, it recorded that his check was clear.”
Shocking stories
In his opening remarks, the chairman of the commission warned many stories the inquiry will hear will shock people.
Justice Peter McClellan says more than 400 private hearings with witnesses and victims have already taken place.
The inquiry was commissioned by the Federal Government to investigate allegations of systemic abuse within religious and state-run institutions.
Justice McClellan says some preliminary themes have already emerged.
“It is apparent that where an organisation lacks an appropriate culture, and there are not appropriate practices and training of staff within the organisation, there is a risk that sexual abuse will occur,” he said.
“In some institutions, there may be only one perpetrator. In others, there will be multiple abusers and many children may be abused.
“It is reported to us that when it occurs in residential institutions, sexual abuse is almost always accompanied by almost unbelievable levels of physical violence inflicted on the children by the adults who have responsibility for their welfare.”
Justice McClellan noted the effect abuse has had on many victims.
“Many have thought of suicide and some have attempted it,” he said.
Future hearings
Today is the beginning of a series of hearings by the commission in New South Wales.
In October, the inquiry will examine the response of the YMCA and police to allegations Jonathan Lord sexually abused children in the organisations care.
The commission’s attention will move north in November, when it examines the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse in the North Coast Childrenâ??s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton in 2006 and 2007.
A final public hearing in December will hear evidence about the “establishment, operation and review of the Towards Healing process by the Catholic Church.”
Ms Furness also told the hearing that an orphanage, another Catholic Church institution and the Salvation Army will be the subjects of hearings next year.
