AUSTRALIA
The Age
May 22, 2015
Jane Lee
The Christian Brothers have done nothing to remove offender Robert Best from its order since he was convicted of multiple sexual offences against children.
Best was convicted in 2011 of sex crimes against 11 boys at schools in Ballarat, Box Hill and Geelong and is currently serving a 14 year, nine-month sentence.
Brother Peter Clinch, leader of the Christian Brothers Oceania Province, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Friday that Best was still a Christian Brother.
Asked why by Counsel Assisting the Commission Gail Furness, SC, Brother Clinch – who became leader last July – said: “Because he hasn’t gone through the …dispensation, and he has not requested that. And as far as I’m aware at this early stage of my leadership, the congregation hasn’t taken any initiative in that area.”
Brother Clinch could not say why the leadership had not taken any action. The Christian Brothers’ policy in Nairobi was that “any Brother who offends from now on will no longer be a member of the congregation. Prior to that, that means prior to 2013, there is no legislation, in our constitutions for that to happen,” he said.
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