Royal commission into child sexual abuse: John Kostka Chute remains a Catholic Brother despite abuse conviction

By Ben Worsley
ABC News
June 30, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-30/marist-brother-chute-still-a-brother-in-catholic-order/5560094

Convicted paedophile John Chute, also known as Brother Kostka.

A Marist Brother who was sentenced to six years' jail for abusing boys and girls is still a Brother in the Catholic order, a royal commission has heard.

John Kostka Chute was convicted in 2009 of 19 sex offences involving six children, most involving his time teaching at Marist College in Canberra.

The former head of the Marist order, Alexis Turton, is on the stand at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse for a third day.

Peter O'Brien, the lawyer for one of Chute's victims, asked Brother Turton about Chute's current status within the order.

Mr O'Brien: "Kostka Chute is still a Brother with the Marist order?"

Brother Turton: "Yes."

Mr O'Brien: "Having spent six years of a term of imprisonment for molesting children under his care, he's still a Brother in the Marist Brother order?"

Brother Turton: "Yes."

As the order's professional standards officer, Brother Turton handled complaints against Chute and Greg Sutton, who were both later convicted of child sexual abuse.

Brother Turton denied his job was to conceal the activities of child molesters within the order, instead of exposing them.

Mr O'Brien: "Was it in fact your role in that position to conceal the activities of child molesters in the Marist Brothers organisation as opposed to exposing them?

Brother Turton: "No, that wasn't my role."

Karen McGlinchey, a lawyer for two abuse victims, asked Brother Turton why Marist College Canberra appeared to attract Brothers who intended to sexually assault children.

Brother Turton: "Looking back, what could we have done back then? Apart from look at the systems that we have now, which are dramatically different.

"I don't have a simple, single answer. It's a mystery to me what could have happened then that just would have put a halt to what we're looking at here."

Ms McGlinchey: "Do you understand why it might be very difficult for people to understand or to accept that other Brothers did not know that this offending was going on in this period of 25 years?"

Brother Turton: "I can understand that. I lived for a Brother for a number of years who I later found out was an offender. I was absolutely shocked. I had no idea. I was angry.

"And I know married people who had partners who were offenders and didn't know it. I can certainly understand people's disbelief."

Ms McGlinchey: "Can I suggest to you, that there was a reluctance on behalf of yourself, to seek details of allegations, because they may later turn into liabilities for the church?"

Brother Turton: "I think at the time, with my experience, that would have been the last thing on my mind. Having said that, I think there was a steep learning curve that we were involved in as to how far our questioning should go into these matters."

The current head of the Marist Brothers order, Jeffrey Crowe, is the next witness due before the commission.