AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Emilie Gramenz
A royal commission witness in Hobart has blamed now-Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall for the abuse he suffered at the hands of a convicted paedophile.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining responses to sexual abuse allegations in the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS), which is run through the Anglican Church.
The witness known as BYF said he was heavily involved in Anglican Church youth groups and told the hearing it was common for youth group members to stay on floors in rectories or people’s homes while travelling.
BYF told the commission he stayed at the rectory with Tasmanian rector Garth Hawkins while travelling with another youth, Phillip Aspinall, who is now Archbishop of Brisbane.
The hearing heard he and Mr Aspinall were sleeping on the floor when Hawkins came into the room, sat next to BYF and ran his fingers through his hair, telling him he was good looking and offering for him to sleep in his bed.
BYF refused.
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