TOP INVESTIGATORS .01 The Operation Satara team were awarded for their excellent investigation.
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After the initial complaint from Brady’s ex-partner, her teenage son, Brady’s stepson, came forward saying he was sexually abused by him over a number of years. Brady would put sedatives in his food and drink to make him more compliant. “We were able to ensure he had no access to his daughter, and for the next 12 months we covertly investigated him. After getting a warrant to search his house, we were able to analyse his computers,” Det Sen Sgt Berry said. An analysis of Brady’s computer showed 273 digital images and 17 movies all showing children aged between six and 17-years-old in various sexual acts.
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IIn n an initial initia al interview with police, he was accused accu used of incest, possessing child pornography and indecent acts actts of a child under 16. 16 When he was arrested, three colour photographs of young boys were found in his wallet. He denied everything, saying his computer was accessible by up to six family members and could have been used by them. He was let go, pending further inquries. However, Brady’s denials would end up being his undoing, as over the course of the investigation, police learnt that he had sexually abused other family members over the years. “One of our early breakthroughs in the case was when his own brother said he had been abused by Brady from 11-years-old,” Det Sen Sgt Berry said. “And he was one of many who eventually admitted to us they had been victims. “However, Brady was a real mummy’s boy and enjoyed protection from her until she died. From then on, his two sisters took over and when approached they were extremely hostile and supportive of him, despite some of their own family admitting Brady had abused them. “Our investigation team did an amazing job of getting through to various family groups. They spent time with them, got to know them and built up trust. It was such an important element.”
Brady had also created a fake online profile where he went by the name of Stevie-K, in which 14-years-old. he pretended to be 14 years old One of the photographs from the Stevie-K profile was the same as the one found in Brady’s wallet when he was arrested. A family member told police these boys played at a local sporting club that Brady was involved in. “This is where the net got wider and we realised his abusing had extended outside of the family,” Det Sen Sgt Berry said. It was established that Brady had been abusing children from sporting clubs he was involved with. Some of the children made admissions about the sexual abuse for the first time. At this stage, Brady was still a junior sports coach and had a working with children card. Investigators had to weigh up the risk of further offending, against the potential loss or contamination of witnesses and evidence against him. Working closely with sports administrators, police learnt they had concerns about Brady’s inappropriate extra curricular activities with boys, such as sleep overs at his house. Administrators suspended Brady from all coaching and referee duties and he was banned from pools and leisure centres near where he lived.
In November, 2009 Broadmeadows police were Broa called to a local swimming pool, calle after Brady turned up with a woman and her four-year-old son. Det Sen Sgt Berry was immediately De contacted and there were fears for cont the yyoung boy. “Brady’s modus operandi was to “B attach himself with desperate single attac mothers, who had boys with no moth fatherly supervision in their lives, fathe appeared to fit that and this t mould,” Det Sen Sgt Berry said. mou Brady was arrested again on Br 2009. He made no 17 November, N comment in an interview when faced with charges of sexually abusing children. He was in a relationship with the woman from the pools and when interviewed by police she was disbelieving. She supported Brady, until some years later, during the trial, when her young son confessed to being abused by Brady. “The investigation team were over the moon when he was convicted. Some of these crimes had gone unreported for more than 28 years,” Det Sen Sgt Berry said. “While it was excellent police work, it was also the bravery of the victims to come forward and admit what had happened to them. “Brady still denies what he has done, but the evidence against him was overwhelming.” The investigation into Brady was called Operation Satara. Chief Commissioner Ken Lay recently awarded Det Sen Sgt Berry with a Medal for Merit. The other investigating members, Detective Senior Constables Nick De Ridder, Samantha Ryan, Rebecca Gallagher, Scott Tuddenham and Leading Senior Constable Ange Sant received a Group Citation for Merit. *The offender’s name has been changed to protect the victim’s identities.
POLICELIFE WINTER 2014
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