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This page last
updated March 3 2005
Note Site Changes
refer to Institution
Abuse\Psychiatric Hospitals\ 2004 for reports of Psychiatric Hospital
Abuse
2004-0617 - The Press - Abuse in
boys' home - claim
by
Tim Hume - A 62-year-old man has come forward with allegations of physical
abuse in a Christchurch Presbyterian boys' home in the 1960s, the second case
of abuse allegations against the church to emerge this week. Christchurch salesman
Lynden Barr alleges he was severely beaten and kicked, and left with welts
and black eyes as a 14-year- old at the Presbyterian boys' home in Blighs Road. The
abuse was allegedly committed by an employee of the unit, who is alleged to
have then seriously assaulted another boy.
2004-0617 - Otago Daily Times -
Claim of historical assault in boys' home
NZPA
- Christchurch: A 62-year-old man has made
allegations of physical abuse in a Christchurch
boys' home in the 1950s. Christchurch salesman Lynden Barr alleges he was
severely beaten and kicked, and left with welts and black eyes as a
14-year-old at the Canterbury Presbyterian Support Services (PSS) boys' home
in Blighs Rd.
2004-0616 - Evening
Standard - Abuse claims target church
by Jonathan McKenzie and NZPA - A Palmerston North
woman has sparked an investigation into alleged sexual abuse at a
Presbyterian Support Services children's home more than 40 years ago. The
woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, says she was abused by a worker
while she was in care at a home in the Wellington
suburb of Berhampore. Church welfare organisation Presbyterian Support
Services is investigating the allegations against the former employee of the
home, which was run by the organisation. The alleged offender is now in his
80s and denies the allegations.
2004-0616 - NZ Herald -
Presbyterian Support Services to investigate abuse claims
NZPA - Church welfare organisation Presbyterian
Support Services is investigating sexual abuse allegations dating back more
than 40 years. The allegations have been made against a former employee of a
children's home run by
2004-0606 - Sunday Star Times - Former priest
admits sexual abuse of teen
by Amie Richardson - A new sex scandal has surfaced in the Catholic Church,
with a former priest acknowledging he sexually abused a teenager in the '70s.
Police are also investigating an allegation he had sex with another teenager.
Wairarapa woman Sam (formerly Ann-Marie) Shelley, 48, was paid $25,000
compensation by the church last July after she spoke about the abuse she
suffered
2004-0529 - Dominion Post -
Church has the odd sinner
Letter to The Editor by Shon Yde - The Catholic Church is a universal family
and, like all families, has the odd sinner. When you add up all the priests,
monks, brothers and nuns, you will find the proportion of sexual offenders
very small indeed
2004-0523 - Sunday Star Times - The
young step straight into crocodile's maw
by Rosemary McLeod - There ought to be a law against the charm brigade, or
some kind of sign gouged into their foreheads as a warning...... Somewhere
there'll be friends and family of disgraced former priest Alan Woodcock, 56,
and Matthew James Boyd, a 27-year-old doctor who has also fallen from grace.
They'll be tearily swearing that these men could not possibly be guilty of
the crimes they have admitted, because they are so nice, so good-looking, so
intelligent, so sincere
2004-0522 - The Press -
Still struggling on long road to justice
by Yvonne Martin - If it were not for the dogged detective work of a young
victim, paedophile priest Alan Woodcock may never have been apprehended The
first known victim of paedophile priest Alan Woodcock had to turn detective
and hunt down his offender himself when the police doubted his story.
2004-0522 - Dominion Post -
Church pays more than $5m compo
by Fran Tyler - The Catholic Church is unable to say how much it has paid out
in compensation to victims of abuse in New Zealand, but a tally of the
amounts made public so far reveal it to be at least $5.6 million. The biggest
amount -- more than $4 million -- was paid to men who claimed they had been
abused by brothers at the Order of St John's Maryland's residential school in
Christchurch,
a school for boys with learning and intellectual disabilities. Five brothers
are alleged to be involved. Three of them, aged 56, 67 and 81 are battling
extradition from Australia
to face the charges. The other two, who are based in New Zealand, are due to go to
trial this year.
2004-0522 - NZ Herald - Sex
abuser's sisters bring him home to face justice
by Eugene Bingham - In the middle of a summer's night in Greece, the law caught up with
Alan Woodcock. For years, the former Catholic priest had avoided facing
justice for the sexual abuse of a string of boys. Now there was no escaping.
2004-0522 - The Press - Victim
calls on church to lift veil
The woman who sparked an Anglican Church sexual abuse inquiry is disappointed
a settlement reached with victims will remain confidential. In 2001 Christchurch woman
Louise Deans released the book Whistleblower detailing allegations she and
other trainee ministers were abused by priest Rob McCullough in the 1970s and
1980s. Deans and four other women told the church of the allegations in 1989.
Last year Deans and two other women reached a settlement on their claims with
the church and received payouts of between $8000 and $30,000 each.
2004-0521 - Dominion Post -
Total lack of understanding
Letter to the Editor by Barbara MacDonald - The Alan Woodcock case (May
18-19) is the latest in a serious of shocking revelations about the Catholic
Church and its appalling history of not dealing with child abuse in its own
ranks. ........ The posturings and mumblings of the defenders of the faith
exhibit a lack of understanding of its crimes against young children --
active and passive. It's immoral humbuggery; nothing more.
2004-0520 - NZ Herald - 14 women
raped by priest, MPs told
NZPA - A woman says a predatory priest who raped her and at least 13 others
has escaped punishment and continues to offend due to weak laws. The woman
told Parliament's law and order committee yesterday that in the late 1960s
and early 1970s she had been a troubled adolescent and needed help. She was
sent to a priest who was the school counsellor.
2004-0520 - Stuff - Priest raped
more than dozen women, MPs told
NZPA - A woman says a predatory priest who raped her and at least 13 others
has escaped punishment and continues to offend due to weak laws. .........
"Throughout my college years a relationship of trust was established
between us," she said in a written submission. "I was unable to see
that it was not about trust, but about him engaging in the process of
grooming me for his future sexual offending against me.
2004-0520 - Otago Daily Times -
Inadequate law protected priest, says victim
By Ian Llewellyn of NZPA - A woman says a predatory priest who raped her and
at least 13 others has escaped punishment and continues to offend due to weak
laws. The woman told Parliament's law and order committee yesterday that at
the end of the 1960s and early 1970s she had been a troubled adolescent and
needed help. She was sent to the priest, who was the school counsellor.
"Throughout my college years a relationship of trust was established
between us," she said in a written submission.
2004-0519 - Otago Daily Times - Judge
denies covering up paedophile's sexual past
NZPA - Wellington:
A former chief district court judge who helped the Catholic Church with media
inquiries relating to paedophile priest Alan Woodcock says he did not try to
cover up Woodcock's previous sexual offending........ When one of Woodcock's
victim's, Terry Carter, went to the media in 1994, the church consulted Judge
Peter Trapski, who is reported in a 1994 church document to have urged
caution in what details it disclosed. The document, says Judge Trapski, who
was chairman of the St Patricks trust board at the time, advised the church
to place "confidential material" about Woodcock into his employment
file but within a separate envelope labelled secret
2004-0519 - Nelson Mail - Shadow of
suspicion is cast wide
by Karl du Fresne - I took a closer than usual interest in the case of
disgraced former Catholic priest Alan Woodcock, who pleaded guilty this week
to charges of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s. The reason is that I am
a former pupil of St Patrick's College, Silverstream, the Marist boys' school
where much of Woodcock's known offending took place. I spent two very
contented years at Silverstream, having been sent there by my parents in the
hope that my lacklustre performance during three years at a state
co-educational college might be improved by a dose of boarding school rigour.
2004-0519 - Daily News -
Disgraced priest marks the end of an era of silence
Editorial - It is perhaps only 25 or 30 years ago that the New Zealand victims of
paedophiles first began to speak out. Their stories seemed bizarre to most of
the population, who had enjoyed the protected and innocent childhood they
deserved. Only those raised in abusive households or unlucky enough to have
been stalked by molesters knew that this ancient, dark, parallel universe
existed. Until three or four decades ago, the rare court reports that touched
on these matters were circumspect about defendants facing "serious"
or "very serious" charges
2004-0519 - Evening
Standard - Suspicion cast over all priests
by Karl du Fresne - took a closer than usual interest in the case of
disgraced former Catholic priest Alan Woodcock, who pleaded guilty this week
to charges of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s. The reason is that I am
a former pupil of St Patrick's College, Silverstream, the Marist boys' school
where much of Woodcock's known offending took place. I spent two very
contented years at Silverstream, having been sent there in the hope that my
lacklustre performance during three years at a state co-educational college might
be improved by a dose of boarding school rigour.
2004-0519 - Evening
Standard - Paedophile priest worked in Manawatu
by Alister Browne - Paedophile priest Alan Woodcock seduced teenage boys at
Highden, near Awahuri, in rural Manawatu, when it was a training centre for
young priests, court documents show. The 56 year old pleaded guilty on Monday
to 21 charges relating to the sexual abuse of 11 boys between 1978 and 1987
during a teaching career that spanned Hastings
and Wellington
as well as Highden. The documents show that Woodcock first turned up at
Highden in 1983, and during school holidays that year -- probably April-May
-- he phoned a 16-year-old boy at his home in Wellington and invited him to stay at
Highden.
2004-0519 - The Press -
Sexual predator
Editorial - Disgraced paedophile priest Alan Woodcock began his betrayals of
trust a quarter of a century ago and his abuse of young males continued for
at least a decade. It is sadly not surprising that a man like Woodcock sought
to indulge his predilection with no regard for the devastating consequences
on his victims. What is horrifying is that the Catholic Church knew what manner
of man it was harbouring but instead of ensuring that students in its care
were safe, it placed a sexual predator amongst them. Then, when complaints of
abuse did emerge, the church's priority was not the welfare of the student
victims, but protecting Woodcock and itself
2004-0519 - The Press -
Anglican Church settles sexual abuse claims
The Anglican Church has made a confidential settlement with people sexually
abused by a priest. The church released a statement indicating
"longstanding" abuse committed by an Anglican priest in Christchurch and Auckland
had been addressed "in a spirit of justice and concern for the pain it
caused".
2004-0519 - Dominion Post -
Police probe role of church
by Fran Tyler and NZPA - Police are investigating the role other church staff
may have had in allowing paedophile priest Alan Woodcock to continue to work
with children. The officer in charge of the Woodcock case, Detective Sergeant
Murray Porter, would not comment yesterday on any other investigations that
might be taking place, but The Dominion Post understands that further
inquiries are being made into the role of some church staff.
2004-0519 - Dominion Post -
Judge defends advice over paedophile priest
Former chief district court judge Peter Trapski yesterday defended his role
with the Catholic Church in relation to its handling of publicity about
paedophile priest Alan Woodcock in the 1990s. ……..Judge Trapski said he had
tried to encourage the church to be more open about sexual offending by its
priests and brothers, instead of "sweeping things under the carpet"
as parts of the church had done in the past.
2004-0519 - Dominion Post - A
church and its dirty little secrets
Editorial - It will take the Catholic Church a long time to get over Alan
Woodcock, though perhaps not as long as it will take his victims. His story,
finally out in public after the best efforts of the church to keep it hidden,
is disturbing.. The church is keen to portray its cover-up -- and its actions
can be described as nothing less than that -- as a product of an era. It has
apologised for what it calls errors of judgment made in the past and the
inadequacy of its response to complaints by boys that they were being subject
to indecencies by Woodcock.
2004-0519 - NZ Herald - Judge
denies helping in paedophile cover-up
by Stuart Dye and NZPA - A former chief district court judge who helped the
Catholic Church with media inquiries relating to paedophile priest Alan
Woodcock says he did not try to cover up Woodcock's previous sexual offending.
But police say the role played by Judge Peter Trapski, and other aspects of
the case, will go under a microscope.
2004-0518 - The Press -
Woodcock case
Terry Carter was just 15 when Alan Woodcock became his teacher at St
Patrick's College in Silverstream. "He was one of the most friendly
people you could meet," Carter said. "He was charming, brilliant --
completely opposite to the other priests."
2004-0518 - Dominion Post - A
priest's long fall from grace
by Fran Tyler - Alan Woodcock preyed on his pupils, gained their confidence,
then used them for sexual gratification. His employer, the Catholic Church,
found out, but he continued. Fran Tyler looks at his past and how the Church
failed to stop him. Alan Woodcock first sexually abused a pupil in 1978.
2004-0518 - Dominion Post -
Former judge advised school on rogue priest
by Fran Tyler - The Catholic Church knew paedophile priest Alan Woodcock had
a predilection for boys before it made him a teacher at a Wellington boys' school. When knowledge of
his offending began to spread, the church was helped to keep it out of the
public eye by a former chief district court judge, an ex-pupil of the school
2004-0518 - Stuff - Police will
hear sex abuse claims first - church
NZPA - The Catholic Church has vowed to pass all allegations of sex abuse
against children by members straight to police following the conviction of
paedophile priest Alan Woodcock yesterday. "We learn by our mistakes and
they were very grievous mistakes," the head of Woodcock's order, Father
Denis O'Hagan said.
2004-0518 - Dominion Post -
Church knew of Woodcock conviction before appointment
The Catholic Church was aware paedophile priest Alan Woodcock had a previous
sexual assault conviction before it made him a teacher at a Wellington boys' school. When knowledge of
his offending began to spread, the Church was advised to keep it out of the
public eye by a former chief district court judge, a former pupil of the
school.
2004-0518 - Dominion Post
- 'He was friendly, charming, brilliant'
by Fran Tyler - Terry Carter was just 15 when Alan Woodcock became his
teacher at St Patrick's College in Silverstream. "He was one of the most
friendly people you could meet," Terry says. "He was charming,
brilliant – completely opposite to the other priests."
2004-0518 - NZ Herald -
Church will inform police of sex abuse claims after Woodcock
NZPA - The Catholic Church today vowed to pass all allegations of sex abuse
against children by members straight to police following the conviction of
paedophile priest Alan Woodcock yesterday. "We learn by our mistakes and
they were very grievous mistakes," the head of Woodcock's order, Father
Denis O'Hagan said.
2004-0518 - NZ Herald - Church
gave job to priest despite offences
NZPA -The Catholic Church was aware paedophile priest Alan Woodcock had a previous
sexual assault conviction before it made him a teacher at an Upper Hutt boys school. When knowledge of his offending
began to spread, a former chief district court judge - an old boy of the
school - advised the church to keep it out of the public eye
2004-0517 - Newstalk ZB -
Woodcock victims talk of being ostracised
Students at the schools where Alan Woodcock worked knew he was having sexual
relationships with their classmates. The 55-year-old has pleaded guilty to 21
charges of sexual assault at the Upper Hutt District Court today. A summary
of facts has revealed that victims who told their fellow students about their
abuse were ostracised
2004-0517 - NZ Herald -
Former Catholic priest pleads guilty to indecencies
NZPA - A former Wellington Catholic priest, extradited from Britain after
being charged with child sex offences, pleaded guilty to all 21 charges in
Upper Hutt District Court this morning.
2004-0517 - One News -
Ex-priest pleads guilty to sex abuse
A former Catholic priest extradited from Britain pleaded guilty to 21 sex
charges. Alan John Woodcock, 55, faced 34 charges involving offences
allegedly committed against 10 boys in Upper Hutt, Wellington and Palmerston North between
1978 and 1987.
2004-0517 - Newstalk ZB
- Priest pleads guilty
Former Catholic priest Alan Woodcock has pleaded guilty to multiple child sex
charges. He appeared in the Upper Hutt District Court this morning on 34
counts relating to incidents around 20 years ago involving boys at
Silverstream, Upper Hutt and Palmerston
North between 1982 and 1985 while he was working as a teacher.
2004-0512 - Stuff - Delay not enough
to stop extradition hearing against clergy
NZPA - A Sydney judge yesterday ruled the long delay in filing sex abuse
charges against three clergymen was not unjust enough to stop a hearing to
extradite them to New Zealand. The allegations against one of the three, an
82-year-old St John of God brother, date back to 1955 when he was at Marylands, a Christchurch
school. Magistrate Hugh Dillon had been asked in Sydney's Downing Centre
Local Court on Monday by counsel for two of the clergymen, Paul Byrne, to
rule that it was "oppressive and unjust" under the Extradition Act
to charge someone so long after the alleged events.
2004-0512 - NZ Herald - Sydney
abuse case ruling
NZPA - A Sydney judge yesterday ruled that the delay in filing sex abuse
charges against three clergymen was not sufficient to stop a hearing to
extradite them to New Zealand. The allegations date back to 1955.
2004-0417 - Newstalk ZB -
Quick reaction from CYF to abuse allegations
CYF says it reacted quickly following claims of physical abuse at CYF home in
Levin- woman charged with assault. A Child Youth and Family caregiver has
appeared in court charged with assault of a young person in her care. It
follows a complaint of physical abuse made by a young person at a CYF home in
Levin
2004-0417 - Newstalk ZB -
CYF caregiver faces assault charges
Levin caregiver has appeared in court charged with assault of a young person
in her care. A Child Youth and Family caregiver has appeared in court charged
with assault of a young person in her care. CYF says the 63-year-old woman
looked after four children at a home in Levin.
2004-0416 - Dominion Post
- Woodcock bailed till May
Former Catholic priest Alan Woodcock was in Upper Hutt District Court
yesterday facing charges relating to the alleged sexual abuse of young boys
in the 1970s and 1980s. Woodcock, 55, formerly of Upper
Hutt, was remanded on bail till May 17.
2004-0416 - One News -
Caregiver charged with assault
Child Youth and Family says a female caregiver from a Levin family home has
been charged with assault after a complaint from a youth in their care. CYF
says the woman, a former social worker, and her husband were removed from the
six-bed home following allegations of physical abuse.
2004-0407 - The Press - New twist
to abuse allegations
by Yvonne Martin - The sexual scandal plaguing a Catholic order has taken a
new twist, with allegations that two religious brothers abused a boy
together. The allegations are cited among fresh charges laid by Christchurch police
against two brothers and a priest from the St John of God Order. Warrants to
arrest the men, aged 82, 69 and 56 -- now living in New South Wales -- were issued by the
Christchurch District Court yesterday.
2004-0407 - The Press -
Brothers face group abuse charges
by
Yvonne Martin - The sexual scandal plaguing a Catholic order has taken a new
twist, with allegations that two religious brothers abused a boy together.
The allegations are cited among fresh charges laid by Christchurch police against two brothers
and a priest from the St John of God Order. Warrants to arrest the men, aged
82, 69 and 56 -- now living in New
South Wales -- were issued by the Christchurch
District Court yesterday. Police are trying to extradite the trio, who face a
total of 64 sexual abuse charges relating to their time working at Marylands, a former
school for boys with learning and intellectual disabilities.
2004-0407 - NZ Herald -
Youths interviewed over abuse allegations
Police
have interviewed 10 of the 50 youths who were placed in care with a couple
now facing abuse allegations
2004-0405 - Newstalk ZB
- Police investigate Windrush allegations
South Auckland police say
they have received four complaints of abuse from boys who went through the
Windrush CYF home. South Auckland police are
talking with 50 boys who have been through a Child Youth and Family home
following complaints of assault. The Windrush Close facility in Mangere was
closed for a week last year and staff stood down following allegations
caregivers singled boys out for beatings
2004-0405 - Stuff - Carer accused
of abuse had no experience
NZPA - A man with no caregiving experience and his partner have been
suspended from care duties after allegations the boys' home they ran in south
Auckland subjected children to beatings, torture and verbal abuse. Child,
Youth and Family acting director operational support services Ken Rand said
CYF had hired the couple to run the home
2004-0405 - Otago Daily Times - More
claims of abuse
NZPA - Another four young people who lived at a Child, Youth and Family home
in South Auckland have made allegations of
verbal and physical abuse by caregivers. CYF will not say how many children
it has interviewed. The department has carried out an internal inquiry into
allegations of abuse at its "family home" in Windrush Cl, Mangere, last
year.
2004-0405 - NZ Herald - Four more
boys claim they were abused at CYF home
by
Louisa Cleave - A further four young people who lived at a Child, Youth and
Family home in South Auckland have made allegations of verbal and physical
abuse by caregivers. CYF will not say how many children it has interviewed.
The department has carried out an internal inquiry into allegations of abuse
at its "family home" in Windrush Close, Mangere, last year.
2004-0405 - Stuff - More claims of
abuse at state run children's home
NZPA - Another four young people who lived at a Child, Youth and Family home
in south Auckland have made allegations of verbal and physical abuse by
caregivers
2004-0404 - Act Party - Yet Another
CYF Failure
by
Dr Muriel Newman - Media reports that police are investigating abuse claims
at a State-run boys’ home raises serious questions about the vetting process
used by the Department of Child, Youth and Family’s to select caregivers, ACT
New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said today
2004-0404 - Newstalk ZB -
Complaints procedure needed at CYF homes
Youth Advocacy group says there should be an independent complaints procedure
in place for children in CYF homes. A youth advocacy group says children in
CYF homes don't have any way to complain if they are subject to abuse.
2004-0403 - Otago Daily Times -
Caregivers accused
NZPA
- Auckland:
Child Youth and Family caregivers have been accused of beating and abusing
teenagers sent to live at a state-run home for boys. Police are interviewing
all 50 youths who were placed in care at Windrush Close, a six-bed home owned
by CYF in Mangere, last year
2004-0403 - One News -
Caregivers face abuse allegations
Two caregivers at a Child Youth and Family (CYF) home in South Auckland have
been stood down as police investigate an allegation of assault against boys
in their care. A department spokesperson, Christine Langdon, says the six-bed
Windrush Close family home in Mangere was closed for a week and the caregivers
were immediately stood down after the police took a complaint from a boy at
the home in December last year.
2004-0403 - NZ Herald - Police to
quiz 50 boys over CYF abuse claim
by Louisa Cleave - Child Youth and Family caregivers have been accused of
beating and abusing teenagers sent to live at a state-run home for boys.
Police are interviewing all 50 youths who were placed in care at Windrush
Close, a six-bed home owned by CYF in Mangere, last year. The Weekend Herald
understands at least two families have laid formal complaints of assault
2004-0403 - Newstalk ZB -
Katherine Rich claims systemic problems in CYF
National's Social Services
spokeswoman Katherine Rich says the case shows signs of systemic problems in
the department but CYF says references and police records of people applying
to work for it are always checked. Ms Rich says she is concerned about the
selection of caregivers, and will be interested to see if that process is
raised in the investigation of the beating claims. She says CYF should be
placing children into better environments than the homes they are being
removed from.
2004-0403 - Newstalk ZB - Claims of
boy's home beatings investigated
Staff at an Auckland
boys home are being investigated after claims of regular beatings. Complaints
were made by some of the boys themselves. The allegations surfaced at Child
Youth and Family's Windrush Close facility, which provides temporary
accommodation for troubled youths. CYF says it has called in the police,
after carrying out its own investigation into the claims
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