AUSTRALIA
lewisblayse.net
Lewis Blayse
The Christian Brothers in the Geelong area have been exposed as a hot bed of abusers in the recent Victorian Parliamentary enquiry. They ran the St. Augustine’s Orphanage, which is now the location of their private school. It is heritage listed. The site was granted by the government originally. Government also donated a third of the building costs. The valuable site should be sold and given to victims in compensation.
It had all of the usual problems associated with the old children’s homes. In 2011, it formed the basis of a claim for dereliction of duty against the State government, by several former residents, represented by barrister Dr Vivian Waller. Much of the claim involved Christian Brother, William Houston. Related claims involved Brother Best, who is usually described as a close associate of Cardinal “Georgie” Pell.
Justice for Brother Houston’s victims appears to be seriously delayed.
In June 1997, he appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court, charged with committing 14 sexual offences against a boy at St Augustine’s. Houston was remanded on bail pending a County Court hearing. The magistrate’s order was reported in the Melbourne Herald Sun, 18 June 1997, page 10, with a photo of William Houston. However, the County Court trial has not yet been held as the Director of Prosecutions did not wish to fund a single-victim trial in 1997.
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