By Andrew Dowdell
ABC News
September 19, 2007
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/19/2037967.htm?section=justin
A court has heard that a boy who was allegedly sexually abused by a children's television host in the 1970s also claims to have been abused by a notorious paedophile and an Anglican priest.
The allegations emerged during the trial of former children's entertainer and theatre identity, Ric Marshall, who is charged with sexually abusing the boy for four years from when he was aged 11.
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| An archive photo of former Adelaide TV host Ric Marshall who is accused of child sex offences. |
The District Court in Adelaide had heard the alleged victim told police the incidents with Marshall were his first sexual encounters.
But Marshall's lawyer tendered a letter from the alleged victim, in which he claims to have been raped by notorious paedophile Robert Brandenburg eight months before the initial abuse by Marshall.
Brandenburg was a former Church of England Boys Society leader who committed suicide in 1999, on the day he was to face court on multiple child sex charges.
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• Related Story: Former TV host accused of child sexual abuse
The Anglican Church later paid out $4 million in compensation to 36 of Brandenburg's victims.
The District Court heard that the alleged victim also claims to have been abused by an Anglican priest who is currently facing child sex charges.
Marshall's lawyer Greg Mead said the letter threw into doubt the victim's version of events.
"The letter raises issues of possible dubious motivation ... and create a reasonable doubt about the witness's credibility," he said.
Mr Mead told Judge Dean Clayton that, on the evidence before him, it would be "unsafe" to find the facts of the case proved against Marshall.
Marshall, 78, has already been declared unfit to stand trial because of dementia and Parkinson's disease.
Judge Clayton has reserved his decision whether the prosecution has proven the objective facts of the case beyond reasonable doubt.
If he does, Marshall will remain in aged care and not be jailed.
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