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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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The Press
November 29, 2003

Police seek brothers' extradition
by Yvonne Martin

Three St John of God brothers who police are trying to extradite from Australia to face sex abuse charges in New Zealand are taking legal advice on their next move.

A fourth man, a former St John of God brother now living in northern Queensland, has already returned voluntarily to face 10 sex charges.

Warrants to arrest the three Catholic brothers, aged 56, 67, and 81 -- now living in New South Wales -- have been issued by the Christchurch District Court.

A total of 47 charges have been laid against the trio, resulting from sexual abuse complaints made by 39 former pupils of Marylands, a residential school in Christchurch.

Marylands catered for boys with learning or intellectual disabilities until its closure in 1984. Abuse complaints date as far back as 1955.

The police asked the brothers to return voluntarily, before starting extradition proceedings.

A lawyer in Sydney, paid for by St John of God, is advising the three brothers how to proceed.

The Order was saying little yesterday, except that it has been co- operating with the police investigations and had no prior knowledge of the arrest warrants.

"Now that the proceedings are officially in the Christchurch District Court, there is nothing further I can say on the matter," said Brother Peter Burke, the Australasian head of the order.

Documentation is being sent to the New South Wales authorities to begin extradition proceedings.

Inquiry head Detective Sergeant Earle Borrell said the Australian Federal police would arrest the three brothers. They will have 15 days to appeal extradition.

The former brother who returned to New Zealand was remanded to a depositions hearing in February when he appeared in the Christchurch District Court last month.

Another former brother, Bernard Kevin McGrath, 56, of Christchurch, who faces 33 charges relating to alleged sexual abuse of boys at Marylands, has also been remanded to a separate two-week depositions hearing in February.

The Order, which has already paid out more than $4 million to 56 complainants, said its "pastoral process" would continue, unaffected by the criminal proceedings.

Ken Clearwater, who manages the Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust, said the former Marylands men were pleased extradition proceedings were being started.