Ferntree Gully
Belgrave
Mail Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires
4 Tuesday, 21 July, 2015
Answering Canada plea
5
Amendment out to public
A Mail News Group publication
17-19
Sports of all sorts
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
■ Two dozen sexual abuse charges laid...
Six minors abused
Ph: 8805 3800 www.knox.vic.edu.au
Widetread
• TYRES • WHEELS • SUSPENSION •
UV 4&S the 4x ialsts c e Sp
!
nuff said
Charity cup overflowing FORMER Richmond Tigers star Francis Bourke addresses the crowd at the inaugural beyondblue Cup. The charity match was played in Belgrave between the senior teams of the Belgrave and Healesville football clubs, with all money raised from ticket sales and other fundraising efforts being donated to beyondblue. For more on the story, turn to page 5 and football report on page 19.
Year 7 in 2017 Open Morning Wednesday 19 August, 9am Bookings Essential – call our Registrar today Approved Dealer for
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FORMER Puffing Billy volunteer Robert Whitehead is due to be sentenced in the Melbourne County Court this Friday after last week pleading guilty to 24 charges relating to sexual abuse of minors. The charges included repeated sexual abuse of a then 13-year-old Puffing Billy volunteer. Since Mr Whitehead’s arrest on 12 January this year, more victims have come forward, alleging the abuse took place over a 40-year period, between 1966 and 1984. Subsequently, Mr Whitehead has been charged with another child sex offence, bringing his total alleged victims to six, with 24 separate charges. It wasn’t until 1990, after 20 years of volunteer work, that Mr Whitehead was discharged as a volunteer from Puffing Billy over allegations of abuse. The court heard on Wednesday 15 July, that police failed to question Whitehead in 1985 after a young Puffing Billy volunteer reported his sexual abuse. The court also heard police have records of Whitehead being questioned but was not charged at that time due to lack of evidence. Records of Mr Whitehead’s first sexual abuse charges in 1959 were lost until last year, greatly weakening any investigations into subsequent allegations. It was revealed in court that Anthony John Hutchins, another Puffing Billy volunteer, was questioned over abuse allegations at the same time as Mr Whitehead. While Mr Whitehead denied the charges, Hutchins admitted to his crimes and was jailed after being convicted of 66 child sex assault charges in 1986. Chief executive officer of Puffing Billy Railway John Robinson said there were no records of anyone making allegations about the volunteers at the time. “There has never ever been an allegation in relation to a specific individual made to the railway,” he said. When asked about the mother of one of Mr Whitehead’s victims supposedly warning management at Puffing Billy about Mr
Whitehead, Mr Robinson said there were no records of that happening. “It’s been reported in the press that one person allegedly rang the railway around the time and made allegations, but we have no record of those conversations,” he said. “I’m not denying those conversations happened, but there is no record of them, and we are talking about decades ago.” Mr Robinson has been CEO of Puffing Billy since November 2012, and has worked mostly as a volunteer around the railway for about 50 years, but never really knew Mr Whitehead. “I didn’t work alongside him, but I was on the committee he was on for a time but other than that our paths didn’t cross,” he said. Mr Robinson has told ‘The Mail’ previously that all Puffing Billy staff and volunteers had been subject to police checks since 2005, and working with children checks since 2007, but there was no official checks in place when Mr Whitehead first started volunteering with Puffing Billy. “There would have been some screening, but nothing official in those days,” he said. “There were no police checks and no external process. It would appear no-one knew of his previous history, and we weren’t the only organisation that suffered as a result of this.” Mr Robinson also told ‘The Mail’ that everyone at Puffing Billy has been appalled by the charges against Mr Whitehead. “The whole Puffing Billy community is horrified by the publicity we are getting as a result of this,” he said. “It’s most unfair and most unfortunate. “We have 900 plus volunteers that work their hearts out for the railway and everyone is horrified.” Mr Whitehead will be sentenced in the Melbourne County Court this Friday. ‘‘The Mail’’ will file an online report on the sentencing of Robert Whitehead this Friday. Visit www.rangestrader.starcommunity. com.au.
FERNTREE GULLY 9758 9288 1158 Burwood Highway (towards Belgrave)
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By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS