Clergy Sexual Offender List
L-P
Please ensure you have read the
introduction on the entry page to the perpetrator lists - it covers vital
information about--
1) the way offenders move between cities, countries and denominations, and often
even use variations of their name to avoid being tracked.
2) the difference between licences (or faculties) being revoked and offenders
being defrocked
3) the different sections of this list
3) the link to the Australian Press Council adjudication confirming the public
interest in publication of offenders' names
4) the limiting of the list to sexual abuse and clergy only
5) the number of offenders listed
CONVICTED CLERGY, OR WHERE OFFENCES OTHERWISE CONFIRMED
Laishkochav,
Alistah aka Ian Francis Lowe
and Ariel Abraham Enki (71) - 1999 Charged with
40 offences including sexual penetration of under 10yo, attempted
penetration, indecent assault, and recklessly causing injury.
Offences were against girls aged 7-10yo in his commune. Convicted on 22
counts. Jailed for 7½ years with a non-parole period of
5 years. March 2003 Transferred to NSW to answer a further 5
charges for indecent assault on two teenage girls (13 & 14 yo) in the 1970s.
All the offences occurred among his commune, which included his 9 wives and 63
children.
Lane, John Henry, Salvation Army officer - 1997
Convicted of sexually abusing 7yo girl in Sunday School class.
Sentenced to 12 months jail.
Lannen, Michael William (49) trainee RCC priest,
eucharist minister and senior prison psychologist - 1996
Convicted on charges of official corruption and procuring sex by
intimidation. Lannen "adopted" boy, aged 12, in 1985
through Children's Services Department and allegedly traded
sexual favours with male prisoners in return for favourable
parole reports. Also served as clinical psychologist at Mater
Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, during 1980s. Sentenced to 4
years jail.
Lebler. William (83) RCC brother - 2005 With Garchow and Maloney (q.v.)
found liable for extradition to NZ to face molestation charges of pupils at
Marylands School, Christchurch. However, psychiatrists assessed Lebler as
borderline mentally retarded and he escaped extradition (and therefore trial).
Leunig, Leo St Clair (68) RCC priest - Pleaded
guilty 1994 to 46 charges involving 3 boys, including
indecent dealing, indecent assault and carnal knowledge.
Sentenced to 6 years jail. Leunig lived nedxt door to a p[arish
primary school for many years, but the church did not warn the
school principal or parents, in spite of having known of Leunig's
behaviour since 1979. When the father of one of the victims found
out, Leunig admitted it and moved from WA to the east coast. He
claims his offending stopped in 1980. His faculties were revoked
when a Catholic bishop learnt of the abuse, but in 1995 Leunig
was still listed in the Catholic Directory as a supplementary
(relieving) priest. 1995 Pleaded guilty to a further 4
charges of indecent dealing and carnal knowledge involving one
boy 1973-76. Sentenced to a further 12 months jail.
Little, Bruce Francis (54) - 1996 QLD Gold
Coast: Pleaded guilty to act of indecency in public park toilet
after numerous complaints by parents. Transferred after arrest
from Burleigh Heads to Redcliffe parish, where he was listed as
one of the three parish priests at the time of sentencing. Fined
$750. No conviction recorded. Currently (2002) in Clermont
(Rockhampton diocese).
Littler, John Aloysius aka
Brother Nestor (74) Marist Brother - Pleaded guilty 1993
to 3 charges. Five year good behaviour bond. Littler fled after
further investigations commenced and was arrested and extradited
from US in 1996 while ministering in Chicago. 1996 Faced a
further 30 charges involving 7 boys, including penetration and
indecent assault.
Lloyd, Barrington (43) Anglican priest 1995
Failed to appear in WA court on charges of indecently assaulting
woman between 1990 and 1991 in WA. Warrant issued for Lloyd's
arrest.
Logan, Raymond Hugh aka Br Pius Bernard (74) De La Salle brother - 2000
Pleaded guilty to multiple counts of indecent assault against three boys.
One of the charges was “indecent assault with intent to commit buggery”.
Sentenced to 3 years jail, to be served as weekend detention. One
offence was at Bankstown De La Salle College in Sydney in 1965. A second offence
was against a 12yo boy at St John’s De La Salle College, Lakemba (Sydney), in
1966-7. The third was at another Sydney Catholic school in 1975-7.
Logan had a previous history of complaints against him from 1963 in WA, from
where he was transferred to Victoria. At the time, his superior wrote this
to him: "Any good work you could hope to do in Midland, would be
jeopardized by your past imprudences with several boys. Unfortunately, your
imprudent advances have been talked about amongst a section of the boys, and
inevitably it has gone further....Be resolved in future to keep your hands off
the boys.” In 1964 Logan was transferred to Sydney, where not only did
some of the offences for which he was convicted occur, but he also came to the
attention of police for exposing himself and masturbating in public in 1966.
At this time, the De La Salle HQ gave him a written warning. A similar
incident in 1968 resulted in Logan leaving the order, but he obtained employment
at a Christian Brothers school as "Mr Logan", and continued to offend (as shown
by his guilty plea). Several more allegations have arisen, both in NSW and
WA, but Logan died in 2004 so no further convictions can be
obtained.
Lowe, Ian Francis - see Laishkochav,
Alistah
McArdle, Michael Joseph (66) RCC - 2003 Convicted of
abusing 16 children over 22 years, including molesting a brother and sister in a
confessional. Sentenced to 6 years jail. 2002 Admitted
serial abuse to newspaper reporters, and claimed the diocese had
known and covered up. Bishop Heenan (Rockhampton) confirmed the
abuse and issued public apology. The victims were mostly 10yo
altar boys, who McArdle claimed "wanted it because they
didn't resist". He refused to turn himself in to police, and
said he didn't need psychiatric help because he was dealing with
it on a spiritual level. McArdle had retired in 1988 but was
still involved privately with worshippers. He was charged and appeared in court on
April 16 2003. He pleaded guilty to more than 60 child sex
offences, including indecent dealing with a boy under 14 between
January 1973 and December 1974, together with a number of other
offences of a similar nature. The indecent dealing and indecent
treatment involved more than a dozen complainants and occurred
between 1965 and 1987.
McAuley, Ross Leslie Stewart, Anglican priest,
St John's Cathedral precentor, choirmaster and Church Sexual
Abuse Committee member - 1995 Complainant made allegations of
sexual assault against McAuley in 1975 at Brookfield, Brisbane.
Later in 1995, Archbishop Hollingworth appointed McAuley to
Sexual Abuse Complaints Committee despite protests from victim.
After a second complaint went to the Complaints Committee (who
were not informed of the previous complaint) the Committee warned
Hollingworth that McAuley should not be left in charge of young
members of choir. Eighteen months later McAuley left the Anglican
Church. Anglican sources describe McAuley as sexual predator. In
1999, McAuley joined Catholic Church in Devonport, TAS and
applied to become a trainee priest. Subsequent inquiries by the
RCC led to McAuley's application being refused. McAuley is now
living near Ballarat.
McGrath, Bernard Kevin (50) St John of God
Brother - 1997 Pleaded guilty to 6 counts of indecent
assault against 12yo boy. Sentenced to 9 months jail. Previously
pleaded guilty in 1993 to 10 charges of indecent assault
involving 6 boys while ministering in NZ. Received two 3 year
jail sentences to be served concurrently.
McKeirnan, Ronald John (60) RCC priest,
school chaplain, scoutmaster - 1998 Pleaded guilty to 15
counts against 9 boys of indecent assault and indecent dealing
between 1964 and 1965 and again between 1975 and 1977, while a
school chaplain. Originally charged with 27 counts against 13
boys. Jailed for 3 years, suspended after 12 months. The judge also said that he had no doubt that
McKeirnan was genuinely remorseful and had taken steps as early
as 1973 to to rehabilitate himself, going to the US for
counselling and eventually putting himself in a job where he
would not be in contact with youths. In 1999,
Fr McKeirnan appeared in QLD court charged with indecently
assaulting 3 prisoners while in prison library. In 2002,
operating under name "Pastoral Services" developing web
pages for Catholic agency Church Life & Mission, Brisbane,
where he has worked since 2000.
McLachlan (or McLauchlan), Paul (67) RCC priest - Convicted 2000
on seven counts including indecent dealing and sexual penetration
(sodomy) on 13yo boy. Originally charged with 27 offences.
Sentenced to 3yrs 8 months jail. McLachlan had been head of the
Catholic Media Office in Qld for 19 yrs. . In
2001, McLachlan receives additional 18 month jail sentence in
Brisbane District Court after pleading guilty to 10 further
charges of indecently assaulting 4 boys over 9 year period
between 1965 and 1974. Court hears McLachlan used his position to
intimidate boys and told one boy he would "go to hell"
and God would punish his family if he complained about assault to
anyone.
McNamara, Gerard (66) Marist Brother - 2004 Pleaded guilty to 7 counts of
indecent assault on 7 boys aged 11-14 in the early 1970s at the Traralgon school
at which McNamara was deputy principal (he later became principal). The
abuses happened in the sports equipment shed and a bedroom near McNamara's
office and comprised massaging their genital areas with Dencorub. The victims told the court McNamara's abuse was well known
to students at the campus, all of whom came to dread an invitation to the
notorious shed. McNamara admitted massaging the boys but
denied sexual contact. The prosecutor said that despite his guilty
plea, McNamara had consistently denied any wrongdoing and showed little remorse.
In 2005 McNamara received a three year jail term, fully suspended for two years.
The judge said that McNamara's offences were at the lower end of the scale and
that he had "voluntarily desisted" from the behaviour since the offences
and had gone on to make a substantial contribution to society.
McNamara, Hugh "Ossie" aka
Brother Oswald McManus (65) Marist Brother - 1995
Convicted for indecently dealing with a Brisbane schoolboy. 1997
Implicated in the suicide of footballer Peter Jackson, whom he
confessed to abusing, and whose widow sued for damages. 1998
Received 3 year good behaviour bond in Parramatta District Court
after being convicted on physical assault charge. 1999
Appeared in Parramatta District Court charge with indecently
assaulting boy, aged 12, in 1970 at St Joseph's College, Hunter's
Hill, Sydney.
Maguire, John, (58) Marist brother and
teacher/deputy headmaster - 2002 Ordered to appear in Sydney
Central Court to face 16 charges of indecent assault against 6
schoolboys between 1984 and 1985 at St Joseph's College, Hunter's
Hill, Sydney. Until he was charged in February 2002, following 18
month investigation by NSW police, Maguire was deputy headmaster
at Ashgrove Marist Brothers College, Brisbane, where he lived
on-site. 2003 7 charges dropped due to lack of evidence.
Main, Eric, Uniting Church - Found guilty of
rape and sexual abuse of multiple parishioners in church enquiry.
Confession on tape. Defrocked.
Maloney, Rodger (70) RCC brother - see Moloney, Rodger.
Marchant, William Edwin (60) Christian Brother -
1997 Charged with 4 counts of gross indecency against 12yo boy.
Pleaded guilty to one count. Sentenced to 12 months community
service involving 40 hours work.
Merivale, Terence Michael (58) RCC priest - 2000
Pleaded guilty to 8 charges including indecent assault and
digital penetration on 3 girls under 14. Sentenced to 12 months
jail, reduced to 6 months on appeal.
Mesiti, Pat, Assemblies of God senior pastor,
Australian Christian Churches national director and
"internationally lauded" evangelist - 2002 Sacked as
ACC national director and stripped of license to minister amid
allegations of sex abuse and predatory behaviour while associate
minister at Hillsong AoG church, Castle Hill, northwest of
Sydney. The church had originally only released the information to its ordained
and probationary ministers, claiming that it was not relevant for the
congregation to know. Mesiti was assigned to undergo a "three year
restoration process", according to the church, but it is not clear what this
involves.
Moloney, Rodger (70) RCC priest - 2005 Ordered to be
extradited to NZ to face charges of molestation of three boys aged under
16 between 1969 and 1980 at Marylands School, Christchurch, run
by the St John of God Order. Moloney was director of Marylands, a school
for intellectually disabled children.
Aug 2006 Moloney (and Raymond Garchow, who is wanted on
associated charges) won their appeal against extradition due to a quirk in the
law which, in some cases, makes extradition between Australia and NZ more
difficult. NZ authorities appealed
against the decision and in Oct 2006 the
Australian High Court allowed extradition. In
Nov 2006 Moloney was remanded on bail on
four counts of anal intercourse with a person aged under 16,
11 charges of doing an indecent act on a boy aged 12 to 16, and two charges of
inducing a boy aged 12 to 16 to do an indecent act. As of 26/10/07 the
case was still continuing.
Monaghan, Ian James (37) Anglican church elder -
1992 Coffs Harbour. Pleaded guilty to 30 charges against 11 boys
aged between six and 15. The charges included sexual intercourse
without consent, assault and act of indecency. Monaghan met all
the boys through church activities. Sentenced to 7 years jail
with a minimum of four years. Judge commented that Monaghan's
crimes were "particularly depraved" and would
"cause disgust and abhorrence to all right-thinking
people". Before moving to Coffs Harbour, Monaghan had served
as an altar boy at Urunga, during which time the priest was Eric
William Griffith (see above).
Morley, John Sydney (67) Anglican priest and
army chaplain - 1992 Pleaded guilty to indecent assault of 11yo
girl and 15yo girl. 18 month suspended sentence.
Moynihan, Berchmans (79) St John of God and
Christian Brother - 1995 Died shortly after being committed for
trial on charges of raping a 9yo boy in 1958.
Mulligan, Terence, Marist Brother - St Joseph's
College Hunter's Hill, 1970s. No offence details. 6 months
periodic detention.
Mulvale, Gerard Joseph (47) RCC priest and
Pallottine Brother - Pleaded guilty August 1995 to 2
counts against 15yo boy in 1980-81. Sentenced to 3 years jail,
with non-parole period reduced to 18 months on appeal. November
1995 convicted of three counts against 15yo boy 1977-78.
Total of 121 counts of rape, abduction, gross and indecent
assault, most of which were dropped. Victims claimed the church
had known of the complaints for 15 years. Another (female) victim
suicided in 1994 after revealing her abduction and rape by Mulvale. Charges were dropped due to the death of the
complainant. Mulvale was ordained in 1979, still listed as a
priest in the 1996 Australian Catholic Directory and the
Pallottines say that he will still minister with them when he is
released. In 1997, Gerard Mulvale became eligible for release from jail on parole.
He changed his name to Gerrard George Shaw, which he says was the surname of his
birth mother. He has left the priesthood and, under his new name, has worked as a
counsellor in the Yorgum Aboriginal Counselling Service in Western Australia.
Murphy, Lawrence Denis (82) Christian Brother -
1997 Committed for trial on 6 charges including carnal knowledge
and indecent assault on boys in orphanages across WA. In 1998,
Murphy, of Christies Beach, Adelaide, fails to appear in Perth
District Court claiming "too ill to travel". Judge
rejects claim and orders Murphy to fly to Perth or "suffer
consequences".
Murray, James William (75) RCC msgr - 2000
Pleaded guilty to 3 counts of indecent assault against a 25yo
woman who had worked as parish assistant in 1974. Fined $5000.
Msgr Murray applied for suppression of his name on the grounds of
embarrassment but was refused. Archbishop Pell was accused of
contravening church law when he reinstalled Murray subsequent to
his conviction. Murray was still on the list of Supplementary
Priests in Melbourne in 2002.
Murray, Magnus "Max" William, RCC priest - Originally from New Zealand,
Murray ministered in Sydney from 1972-76. He was jailed in NZ in 2003.
Neilson, David, UCA minister - 2004 Neilson began an affair with the
Youth Worker in his parish, which was subsequently investigated by the church
and confirmed to be sexual misconduct and breach of pastoral ethics (both he and
the Youth Worker were married, but the church discipline was for breach of
pastoral relationship). Neilson was suspended in 2004, removed from the
placement in 2005 and
resigned from the ministry 29th July 2006.
Nelson, Robert John, ex-de la Salle brother - No
offence details. 6-10 years jail.
Nestor, John (44) RCC priest - 1997 Convicted of
aggravated assault on 15yo altar boy. Sentenced to 12 months
jail. Conviction later overturned.
Nobbs, Stephen Enoch, (69) Seventh Day Adventist
senior deacon, fund-raiser and "pillar of community"-
2001 Received suspended 12 month jail sentence in Norfolk Island
Supreme Court after being convicted on 6 child sex offences,
including 2 counts of indecent assault and 4 of performing
indecent act, against 2 girls, aged 7 and 13, in 1981 and again
in 1996-8 at Norfolk Island.
O'Brien, Thomas Ross (57) RCC priest - 1993
Convicted of indecent assault on young male hitch-hiker. 18 month
good behaviour bond.
O'Dempsey, Damien John (45) Christian Brother -
1994 Pleaded guilty to 6 counts of indecently dealing with a
pupil in 1987 at the school where he was principal. Sentenced to
18 months jail with a non-parole period of 4 months. At the time
of the hearing, O'Dempsey was in a senior administrative position
with the Christian Brothers in Qld, and his duties included
handling complaints of former students about sexual abuse by
Christian Brothers.
O'Donnell, John Kevin (78) RCC priest - Pleaded
guilty 1995 to 12 counts against both males and females aged
8-14yo between 1946-77. Sentenced to 39 months jail with a
minimum of 15 months. At least four victims said they had also
complained to church officials, including the Vicar General,
between 1958-86. A district scout leader also said he had
complained to the church after victims had told him of their
abuse, but no action was taken. Originally faced 49 charges, and
his victims included cubs, scouts, parish school students and
altar boys during at least 35 of his 50 years of priesthood.
O'Donnell died 1997. More detail is available at
http://brokenrites.org.au
O'Keeffe, Thomas (deceased) RCC priest - 2001 Church investigation found
a victim's allegations of
ritualised murders and sexual abuse to be substantially true and paid $33,000 in a confidential
settlement. The Archdiocese's independent sexual abuse investigator, Peter
O'Callaghan QC, said that he was satisfied that the man was telling the truth.
The victim had been sexually and physically abused by O'Keeffe from 11-14yo, and
gave details of three deaths which occurred during what appeared to be satanic
rituals. O'Keeffe died in the mid-1980s.
O'Regan, John (74) RCC priest and Oblates of
Mary Immaculate Brother - 1998 Died shortly before being charged
with multiple sexual offences on orphanage children in the 1950s
and 60s.
O'Rourke, Leonard John (79) RCC priest - 2000
Committed for trial on 13 charges of indecent dealing against 5
boys under 14 from 1960-63. 2004
Charged with 8 counts of indecent treatment of boys under the age of 14
and 1 count of indecent treatment of a girl under 12.
Painter, Michael Roderick (54) Anglican -
WA,1994 Pleaded guilty to indecent assault of 17yo boy. Also
charged with 4 counts against 13yo. Sentenced to 3 years
probation and 240 hours community service. Painter committed
suicide a week after sentencing. Anglican Archbishop Peter
Carnley subsequently called for more balanced reporting of
allegations of child sex abuse. The Sunday Times alleged the
Anglican Church had tried for many years to cover up Painter's
activities.
Pannasara, Kahatapitiye (60s) Buddhist monk - 1997 Kahatapitiye
was found guilty of five counts of sexual penetration without consent and six
counts of indecent assault on two women in their 20s and jailed for four years,
to be followed by compulsory deportation.
Pannasara had entered Australia on a short-stay tourist visa in February 1993.
In 1994, he became the holder of a religious worker visa, valid until 1995. In
1997, while his application for an extension of that visa was being considered,
he was jailed and his application denied. In 2005, the Full Federal Court ruled
that, with no visa entitlement, he was an unlawful non-citizen. Note:
Due to conflicting news accounts, it is unclear which is his surname and which
is his first name, so he is referred to by both and listed under both names.
Papadimitropoulos, Andreas, Greek Orthodox priest - 2002 Pleaded guilty to
one count of indecent assault against a 17yo girl. Sentenced to two months
suspended.
Pearce, David (b. approx 1949) Christian Revival Crusade pastor - Sexually abused 16yo
parishioner in the mid-1970s for 2½ years.
Insufficient evidence for criminal charges, but civil claim against him resulted
in out-of-court settlement. Pearce admitted the sexual activity but
disputed the age of the victim. The denomination were promoting his
return to ministry in 2003, stating that the matter had been settled, he had
been 'restored' and was fit to return.
Perrett, David (66) RCC priest - 1996 Pleaded guilty to indecent assault
charges on 3 boys. Sentenced to a 3yr good behaviour bond. One of Perrett's alleged victims, who also had a disability, committed suicide
Pickering, Ronald Dennis, RCC priest - 2002
Catholic Church pays sex abuse victims more than $50,000
compensation after acknowledging Pickering sexually abused mainly
young choir and altar boys between 1966 and 1993 while priest at
Essendon, St Kilda East, Warburton, Clayton and Gardenvale.
Church Independent Sexual Abuse Commission admits Pickering
"had a proclivity for child abuse" and one victim
claims up to 100 boys may have been abused by Pickering who lured
his young victims with promises of watching television or
receiving pocket money for doing odd jobs. In 1993, Pickering
fled AUS following legal investigation and was last heard living
in England where he applied to become priest. In 2002, victims
informed Pickering's extradition to face charges in Melbourne
"unlikely" since case "not serious enough" to
justify costs. Also in 2002, former Gardenvale Catholic primary
school teacher reveals she raised concerns about Pickering with
former Melbourne Catholic Archbishop George PELL in 1989, but was
"brushed aside".
Pidoto, Terrence Melville (56) RCC priest - 2001
Convicted on 4 charges of indecent assault on 10yo altar boy in
Kilmore, north of Melbourne between 1977 and 1988. Pidoto had
persuaded the altar boy's mother that regular massages would
benefit the boy's football skills. Pidoto was sentenced to 3
years jail. (A separate trial relating to another victim resulted in an
acquittal.) ABC News 10/5/02 indicated convictions quashed and retrial ordered.
During 2001-2, while Pidoto was in jail, he was listed as "on leave" in the
Catholic Directory. 2007 Convicted on 11 charges including rape, indecent assault and buggery
on 4 boys aged between 12 and 15yo (had been charged with 22 offences involving
7 boys, who did not include the victim who had obtained the 2001 conviction.
Other known victims of Pidoto were not included in the trial for various
reasons). The
first of the offences occurred only one year after Pidoto was ordained.
Sentenced to 7 years 3 months jail, eligible for parole after 5 years.
At no time did he express remorse. More detail can be found at http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/nletter/page136-pidoto.html,
including Pidoto's activities as a Scout master and chaplain.
Pritchard, Peter Harold aka
Joseph (53) St Gerard Order Vicar-General - 1993
Convicted of indecent assault on naval cadet while he was serving
as naval chaplain. Sentenced to $2000 fine & 2 year good behaviour bond.
1997 Pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 6 teenagers and a
21-year-old man who were considering vocations between 1973 and
1992. Sentenced to 6 years jail. Former religious
brother, priest, and high school principal.
Credits: In 2000, the Eros Foundation in Australia published a book entitled "Hypocrites" focussing on the high incidence of sexual crime in the church. Information from this source has been helpful in compiling the following list. "Hypocrites" can be read online in the archives of the National Library (PDF files, including illustrations) or as a text-only document on this site by clicking on this link. Further details were obtained from "The Australian Paedophile and Sex Offender Index" by Deborah Coddington. Data was also sourced from http://www.crimenet.com.au (to whom I express heartfelt appreciation for their co-operation) and http://www.antichrist.com.au/index.html (no longer operational), Broken Rites, news articles and other sources.
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