Pedophile Catholic brothers John Chute and Gregory Sutton continued to teach
By Jared Owens
Australian
June 10, 2014
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/pedophile-catholic-brothers-john-chute-and-gregory-sutton-continued-to-teach/story-fngburq5-1226949330273
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Marist Brother John Chute , also known as Brother Kostka, pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child sex abuse in 2008. |
A PEDOPHILE Catholic brother was allowed to continue working as a school principal, even after he was charged with 24 counts of child sexual abuse in the 1990s.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse this morning commenced a hearing into the Marist Brothers' dealings with two pedophile teachers John Chute and Gregory Sutton accused of collectively abusing 69 girls and boys at numerous schools across NSW, Queensland and Canberra.
Counsel assisting the commission Simeon Beckett, in his opening address, that senior Marists were repeatedly warned about both Chute and Sutton, and both admitted wrongdoing, but allowed them to continue teaching.
Sutton was "sent for counselling" to the Southdown Institute, a residential care facility in Canada, after revealing wrongdoing to a senior Marist, Alexis Turton, in 1989.
Police in Australia meanwhile issued 24 warrants for his arrest between 1992 and 1993.
"However, the evidence is likely to reveal that Brother Sutton continued at Southdown until 1992 and then from 1994 to 1996 became a headmaster at a school in St Louis, Missouri" in the United States, Mr Beckett said.
Mr Beckett was eventually extradited to Australia, and the commission will examine "what assistance, if any" was provided to police by the Marist Brothers.
Sutton pleaded guilty to 67 charges of child sexual assault in 1996 and was sentenced to 18 years' jail with a 12-year non-parole period.
Chute, also known as "Brother Kostka", pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child sex abuse in 2008. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment, with the third year in weekend detention, and the final three years suspended.
The Royal Commission this morning refused to continue an 18-year-old suppression order protecting Sutton's identity, ruling the principle of open justice outweighed any "distress" caused to the pedophile.
His lawyer, Greg Walsh, had cautioned against releasing Sutton's identity, fearing he could be "hounded" in the same manner as notorious pedophile Dennis Ferguson.
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