Bloody busy body police doubting anyone claiming compensation for
sexual abuse.
Must've been a quiet day at the cop shop.
THE PRESS - LOCAL NEWS - 3 JUL 2003
CHURCH-SEX COMPLAINANT ADMITS LYING TO GET PAYOUT
By YVONNE MARTIN and DAVID CLARKSON
A key complainant in the St John of God sex scandal has told the
police he lied about being abused by religious brothers at a Catholic
residential school.
In a new twist, Justin Todd Richardson -- who appears to have spent a
$95,000 payout he received from the order -- has been charged with
laying a false complaint.
The 34-year-old foundry worker appeared in court yesterday on charges
of making a false complaint of sodomy and indecent assault in a
written statement to police. Richardson was charged after admitting to
police that he fabricated his story. He is one of 18 former boys from
Marylands School in Halswell who have made sexual allegations against
Bernard Kevin McGrath, a former brother facing 32 sex charges.
Richardson has also been charged with obtaining a $95,000 "pastoral
gesture" from St John of God by a false pretence -- alleging he had
been sexually abused by brothers while living at Marylands.
Police have charged McGrath, 56, with committing sexual offences
against boys between 1968 and 1984, the year Marylands closed.
Seven other former Marylands brothers, now living in Australia, are
also under police investigation. The order has paid $4 million to 56
former Marylands boys, and the same amount to 24 Victorian men who
alleged abuse by brothers while in residential care there.
Christchurch detectives tried to confirm Richardson's story while
making inquiries in Australia, but were unable to substantiate his
claims.
They spoke to Richardson yesterday. He admitted lying about being
abused at Marylands, to get money from St John of God.
"Everything he had said was untrue," said Detective Sergeant Earle
Borrell, who heads the Marylands inquiry. "He told me that the worst
thing was that he got homesick occasionally, otherwise it was OK.
"It makes it very difficult for the other genuine victims."
Richardson entered no pleas when he appeared before Judge Graeme Noble
in the Christchurch District Court and was remanded for one week.
Gobsmacked Brother Peter Burke, the Australasian head of St John of
God, said he was "shocked and angry" by Richardson's actions "and
that's an understatement".
"To hear that Justin lied is a shock," he said.
The order is totting up how much money was paid to Richardson, but
Brother Burke estimates it far exceeds $100,000. "From the day that I
met him I have been paying for counselling, for medical bills, for
pharmacy bills. I have been paying a tremendous amount of money out to
him to help him get on with his life because I believed his story."
Brother Burke said he did not doubt the authenticity of other
complainants. "I have no doubt at all, unless something else like this
comes up."
The order is seeking money back from Richardson through the police but
the chances of repayment could be slim.
Police prosecutor Vanessa Sugrue told the court police would allege
that $85,000 of the money had been spent since it was paid six weeks
ago. Police were trying to recover the remaining $10,000.
But Judge Noble said he would not make an order, and would leave
recovery of the money "to the persuasiveness of the officer in
charge".
Richardson told The Press in March that the money would make a
difference in his life. He would spend it on a house, his children,
and a "lion safari in Africa".
Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust manager Ken Clearwater said
Richardson started turning up to support meetings in a
four-wheel-drive vehicle and flash clothes.
Mr Clearwater said Richardson told him in a phone call last week that
he had sold the wagon and was moving to Melbourne.
Richardson had been his only client to question whether the other
men's stories were genuine.
Mr Clearwater was feeling duped yesterday. "I was there with him all
the way. Most of the other guys are going to be devastated."
Duty solicitor Alex Conte said that Richardson agreed to the bail
conditions sought by the police. He will have to report once a week to
the Christchurch Central Police Station while he is on remand, and he
must surrender his passport.
