BishopAccountability.org
	More Byrnes Complaints May Arise The Chronicle April 15, 2010 http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2010/04/15/more-byrnes-complaints-may-arise/ THE Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba is bracing itself for the possibility of more legal action should former students of pedophile teacher Gerard Vincent Byrnes come forward with further allegations of child sexual abuse. Byrnes, 61, pleaded guilty in Toowoomba District Court on Wednesday to 10 counts of rape of children under 12, 33 counts of child molestation and one of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 12. The offences took place between January, 2007, and September, 2008, and involved 13 girls aged nine or 10, all students of Byrnes' at a Toowoomba Catholic school (which cannot be identified for legal reasons). Wednesday's court appearance was the first time Byrnes' identity could be made public and police now expect further complaints to arise from other people who had been students of the former Christian brother now that his identity has been spread through the media. According to a southern media report, Byrnes taught at three other schools in the Toowoomba Diocese including St Joseph's Primary School, Tara, where he was headmaster in 1992; St Mary's Primary School, Charleville, where he taught in 1994; and Our Lady of Lourdes in Toowoomba where he taught from 1997 to 2001. After an 11th hour psychological report tended to the court on Wednesday which suggested Byrnes may be suffering the onset of dementia, Judge Deborah Richards adjourned his sentencing until a neurologist could examine the medical material and report back to the court. The matter will be mentioned again before Judge Richards on Friday next week.
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