Mountford Murder Stirs Difficult Emotions, Independent Weekly, July 22, 2009

Mountford Murder 'Stirs Difficult Emotions'

Independent Weekly
July 22, 2009

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/mountford-murder-stirs-difficult-emotions/1573638.aspx

The murder of former St Peter's College chaplain John Mountford will stir difficult emotions for some people, says Anglican Archbishop Jeffrey Driver.

Mountford, who was charged with but not convicted of sexual abuse at the school, has been found dead in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Adelaide friends of Mountford told The Independent Weekly he was stabbed to death in his Tripoli apartment over the weekend shortly after returning from London to celebrate his mother's birthday.

He reportedly claimed to friends that people in Tripoli, where he had established an English language school, were blackmailing him and threatening to reveal his past in Adelaide.

"This has been a sad and difficult experience," Mr Driver told AAP yesterday as he was trying to confirm the reports of Mountford's death.

"A violent death is always a tragedy and causes shock and sadness for family and friends; I recognise that.

"But I also recognise that reports of Mr Mountford's death may stir difficult emotions for some and my thoughts and prayers are with them."

Mountford has been living in Libya for the last two years and friends say his school, which taught English to Libyans working in the oil industry, was thriving.

Charges against Mountford in South Australia were withdrawn in August 2007 following concerns about the state of mind of his accuser, a former St Peter's student.

Mountford was charged with five counts of indecent assault, two of procuring the commission of an act of gross indecency and one of unlawful sexual intercourse.

He always proclaimed his innocence and had wanted the case heard. The case, he said, had cost him his life savings.

The victim reportedly received an out of court settlement earlier this year.

"Over recent years the church has had to confront some disturbing issues related to the abuse of those in its care and I take this opportunity to encourage anyone who has been affected by abuse to make contact with our professional standards director," Archbishop Driver said in a statement.