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The Press
February 25, 2004
No sex offence evidence, say St John of God helpers
Helpers
at a Christchurch school where alleged sexual offending took place against
pupils say they saw no evidence of misconduct.
Dorothy O'Connor worked from 1971 to 1977 at the St John of God Marylands
School during which Brother Bernard Kevin McGrath, 56, was alleged to have
sexually abused 18 boys under age 16.
O'Connor, who was giving evidence yesterday at a depositions hearing in the
Christchurch District Court via a video link from
Asked by Crown prosecutor Karen South why she did not look out out for sexual
misconduct, O'Connor said it was because she believed in the brothers' vows of
poverty, chastity and obedience.
"And it was unheard of in those days," she said.
If she had seen any evidence of sexual misconduct, she would have confronted
the school prior about it, she said. Another helper at the school, Catherine
McKeown told the court boys at the school often liked to be around the brothers
and saw them as "guides".
"The boys had no major problems that I know of," McKeown said.
Asked by South if she had had complaints from any boys about the treatment from
the brothers, McKeown said: "No particular thing comes to mind, I don't
recall".
Provincial councillor at St John of God in
O'Donnell said McGrath was there as a possible successor to a brother in charge
of a St John of God school there who had suffered a heart attack. McGrath's
experience in "open-plan education" also made him useful as this sort
of system was being introduced in Morriset.