Christ Church Chaplain Says He Never Told Sex Abuse Victim to "Forget about It"

Bunbury Mail
February 14, 2013

http://www.bunburymail.com.au/story/1303904/christ-church-chaplain-says-he-never-told-sex-abuse-victim-to-forget-about-it/?cs=12

Canon Frank Sheehan has spoken out after allegations of a cover-up emerged during the child sex trial of Christ Church Grammar's former music teacher Lindsay Hutchinson, 63.

Hutchinson was yesterday found guilty of 12 sexual abuse offences concerning students at the school, after a two-week Perth District Court trial.

The offences took place in the mid-1980s and largely concerned one student, then aged 13, who went on to testify against Hutchinson at trial.

During his evidence the man also said he had told Canon Sheehan about being molested by Hutchinson and alleged the canon replied by telling him to "forget about it and put it behind me and ... that I need to get on with my life".

Canon Sheehan who remains employed as the school's chaplain released a statement after Hutchinson's conviction on Thursday to "set the record straight".

He said that in 1991 he was approached by the father of a former student who told him his son had been abused at the hands of Hutchinson, as well as another boy who had been assaulted more than five years before.

"I fully supported the efforts to expose Hutchinson, and the father asked me to meet with this second former student," Canon Sheehan said.

The man turned out to be the key complainant against Hutchinson in the matters for which he was convicted this week.

"During the meeting it was obvious that he was in great mental anguish and understandably, extremely angry about his treatment by Hutchinson," Canon Sheehan said.

"My firm recollection is telling him first and foremost that I believed he was telling the truth and reassuring him that he had done the right thing in speaking out.

"I was especially conscious of the need to offer a listening ear and do whatever I could to help this stricken young man regain his dignity and sense of worth.

"At no time did I ever say or infer that he should forget about what had occurred to him."

Canon Sheehan said despite repeated attempts we was not able to contact the man again after the first meeting.

"I was prepared to support the victim in any way," he said.

"My heart goes out to the man at the centre of this terrible ordeal and any other former students who suffered. They rightly deserve our every support and sympathy."

In his statement, Canon Sheehan said he been willing to give evidence at the trial but had not been asked to do so.

Christ Church headmaster Garth Wynne came out in support of Canon Sheehan.

"He sought to help those who were seeking to expose the perpetrator, focusing his involvement on providing pastoral care and support to the former student ... and he has our full confidence and support," he said in a statement.

Hutchinson was extradited from his home in Melbourne in 2011 to face the charges in Perth.

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On Thursday a Perth jury took just under four hours to find Hutchinson guilty on all charges of sexual abuse.

Hutchinson had admitted to molesting multiple young boys when he took to the stand in his defence of the more serious rape allegations at trial.

He described finding the boys "appealing" and admitted to simulating sex with one boy during a trip because he wanted to "experiment with the sensation."

He is due to be sentenced on April 5.