By Gemma Jones
Daily Telegraph
August 29, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24258923-5006009,00.html
A CONVICTED paedophile teacher from St Stanislaus College is assisting police with an investigation into allegation of a child sex ring at the school.
Stephen Joseph Wade broke his silence yesterday through lawyer Mark Walsh to say he now held concerns about a former priest from the school who is facing 33 child sex charges.
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| Convicted paedophile ... Stephen Wade at school in 1966. |
Priests, teachers 'in paedophile ring'
Wade served 15 months for his own sex attack on a then Year 7 student in 1986, which was around the same time Brian Spillane, 65, from Riverwood, is alleged to have committed the offences.
Wade said yesterday he was worried his life would be ruined by the new airing of his crime.
Mr Walsh distanced his client from the current investigation but confirmed police had sought his assistance.
"They asked him questions in relation to various aspects of school life, whether Father Spillane may have been suspected of interfering with boys. He couldn't put his finger on any specific incident. In light of a complaint being made now . . . he thinks there is room for (concern)," Mr Ward said.
He was asked questions, including who was present at prayer sessions.
St Stanislaus college
Alleged victims have made claims of horrific sexual abuse in late night chanting sessions in the school's prayer room in the mid 1980s.
Wade's victim led a campaign for police to open an investigation into claims a paedophile ring was operating at the school and said this week the abuse he suffered ruined his life.
Wade was convicted in 1998 for sexually assaulting the student at his then home in Bathurst and he was released from jail in January 2000.
"He was a teacher who was employed by the school, he had been convicted of an offence and police saw he was someone they could talk to about this," Mr Walsh said.
"He has been guaranteed by police he is not a subject of any investigation. He has led a very exemplary lifestyle since then, he hasn't worked with children. He fully acknowledges what he did was wrong."
The Vincentian Fathers order based at Marsfield in Sydney's northwest have declined to return calls about the college sex scandal for three days.
A spokeswoman for the Catholic Church in Australia declined to comment, saying it was up to the provincial of the order to speak.
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