South Australia’s Top Detective Shut down Investigation into Paedophile Bus Driver Brian Perkins after His Arrest in 1993, Inquiry Told
By Nigel Hunt
THE state’s most senior detective shut down an investigation into paedophile bus driver Brian Perkins after his arrest in 1993 that prevented further victims being identified, an inquiry has heard. The order, given by Assistant Commissioner Colin Watkins, angered detectives involved in the operation who believed Perkins may have sexually abused more students at St Ann’s Special School than the one he had been charged in connection with. Detective Sergeant Len Mosheev told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that he had been in a meeting with the officers involved in Operation Deny when Mr Watkins telephoned the forward commander Detective Chief Inspector Peter Simons and gave the order. A visibly agitated Det Mosheev said Det Chief Insp Simons was “told to inform us to cease.’’ He said the detectives were not allowed to examine any material seized from Perkins when they arrested him, which included a large number of photographs of naked men and boys, or continue further inquiries to identify any other potential victims. Presiding member Jennifer Coate asked Det Mosheev if he was given any reasons and he replied “no, they would not give us reasons — none at all — and we were really angry and that’s documented in the ACB report’’. “We didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes, but we didn’t think it was appropriate,’’ he replied. Det Mosheev said there was “so much more to look at’’ but he could not continue because disobeying a commissioned officer would mean “disciplinary action, possible sacking’’. The inquiry heard Perkins could have been arrested on the day his house was first searched in 1991 for evidence of child pornography had police checked for any outstanding warrants. A check would have found he had an outstanding arrest warrant for a drink driving charge. After detectives searched his house on August 21, 1991, he fled and when he could not be located in ensuing weeks, the investigation file was eventually closed. The inquiry also heard that Det Sgt Mosheev also failed to conduct a criminal records check on Perkins before the August 21, 1991, search of his house. If that had been done he would have discovered Perkins had three previous convictions for child sex offences — in 1956, 1969 and 1974. The inquiry is examining the handling of claims of child sexual abuse at St Ann’s special school at Marion between 1985 and 1991 by the Catholic Church and SAPOL. Perkins was employed by the school as a bus driver and also volunteered in the woodworking workshop. He was charged in 1993, but fled Adelaide after skipping bail in January, 1994. Although police located him in Queensland in 1998, he was not arrested and extradited back to Adelaide until 2002. Perkins pleaded guilty to five sex offences against three St Ann’s students and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. He died in prison in 2009.
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.