Police Blunder Let Paedophile Scout Leader Steven Larkins Escape, Royal Commission Hears

By Janet Fife
Perth Now
September 17, 2013

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/police-blunder-let-paedophile-scout-leader-steven-larkins-escape-royal-commission-hears/story-fnii5s3z-1226720817073

Paedophile Scout master Steven Larkins / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

A PAEDOPHILE Scout leader escaped charges as long ago as 1998 because of a police mix-up, the royal commission into child sex abuse was told yesterday.

Steven Larkins was the leader of the Stockton Scout group when an 11-year scout went to Newcastle police in 1997 with his mother and said he had been indecently assaulted during a sleepover at Larkins' house.

A solicitor with the state's Director of Public Prosecutions told police to lay a charge of aggravated indecent assault against Larkins, 47.

But a note on the police's COPS - Computerised Operational Police System - by the officer in charge of the investigation, Sergeant Nigel Turney, on July 7, 1998, stated that he had been told by a fellow officer, Senior Constable Panela Amloh, that the advice from the DPP was that "no prosecution will proceed."

The letter from the DPP solicitor advising him to charge Larkins was sent on July 22 but Sergeant Turney said that he could not recall receiving the letter or whether he chased it up with the DPP.

Whistleblower Armand Hoitink is clapped by supporters as he leaves the inquiry yesterday. Source: News Limited

Then within two minutes, between 2.17am and 2.19am on September 19, 1998, Sergeant Turney made three conflicting entries on the COPS system stating that the young victim had been spoken to "concerning prosecution", then that the information "re nil prosecution incorrect" and finally that the then-Department of Community Services would be notified "re non-prosecution."

The officer agreed that he had made those entries but could not explain the conflict.

Senior Constable Amloh agreed that she must have told her senior officer, Sergeant Turney, that there would be no prosecution of Larkins but she could not recall doing so or why.

There was also a court attendance notice wrongly created by Sergeant Turney to indicate that a charge against Larkins of aggravated indecent assault was listed at Newcastle Local Court on March 26, 1999, the commission heard.

Supporters wait outisde the inquiry yesterday. Picture: Jeremy Piper Source: AFP

However it was not until last year that Larkins was finally charged with two counts of aggravated indecent assault of the 11-year-old and another scout, aged 12.

He was made the subject of a three-year good behaviour bond, the leniency of which has been questioned by Commissioner Peter McClellan.

Larkins is currently serving 22 months in jail for possessing child pornography and faking his working with children check.

The hearing continues.