NEERKOL Victims Stand by Abuse Claims

9 News
April 14, 2015

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/04/15/03/36/more-qld-abuse-victims-to-face-inquiry

Former residents of a central Queensland orphanage have rejected suggestions they fabricated claims of sexual abuse perpetrated by a former groundsman.

Three ex-residents of the Neerkol orphanage near Rockhampton have told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse they either witnessed or experienced sexual assaults at the hands of Neerkol groundsman and bus driver Kevin Baker.

Diane Carpenter, 62, said she saw Mr Baker sodomise a boy while sexually abusing another in the bakehouse.

Another witness, known as AYN, said Mr Baker "had free run of the place" and repeatedly sexually abused him, but was not comfortable going into detail.

A third ex-resident, Joseph Kiernan, said Mr Baker would touch boys while they were showering "to make sure we were clean".

Mr Baker was in 1998 indicted on 59 charges related to his time at Neerkol and faced several trials but was never convicted of any offence.

He maintains his innocence.

The three former residents vigorously denied suggestions by Mr Baker's barrister Peter Callaghan SC on Wednesday their allegations were untrue.

"I am putting to you that he (Mr Baker) rejects what you say about him, but you would nonetheless maintain that what you have said is correct?" Mr Callaghan asked Ms Carpenter.

"I regard my oath as very serious and yes, I do thank you," Ms Carpenter replied.

Mr Kiernan and AYN also rejected Mr Callaghan's suggestion.

"It did happen," AYN said.

The royal commission has so far heard harrowing accounts of sexual abuse by priests associated with the orphanage, and of sadistic punishments meted out by the Sisters of Mercy who ran it.

Former residents have testified they felt too scared to speak out about the abuse and those who did were ignored or even punished.

The inquiry continues.

The commission is investigating historical allegations of child abuse at the Neerkol St Joseph's Orphanage near Rockhampton, which was operated by the Sisters of Mercy until 1978.