AND STILL THEY SUFFER

I want to go back six years to the case of a child-molesting man of the cloth. A senior member of the Anglican Church. The former archdeacon of the Anglican Church in Seymour. His name: Alan Sapsford. For years he molested altar boys. He was charged in 2002 with such crimes as gross indecency, indecent assault and committing an indecent act with a child.

Sapsford was the rector at Seymour for thirty years until his retirement in 1996. The offences he was charged with allegedly occurred between 1977 and 1980.

Who knows how many other children were his victims over the decades?

Sapsford was charged. Made several court appearances. And was due to stand trial in June 2003.  It didn’t happen. He died at the age of 66 just weeks before the trial. How? I don’t know. I hope it was suicide.

There were a lot of twists to that case and six years later there are still tragic consequences. It turned out that a lot of people in Seymour and surrounding areas knew about this paedophile parson for years. And Police knew more than anyone would admit to.

I was told at the time there was a list of at least 30 young victims.

There were accusations that one reason Sapsford was not investigated more thoroughly was because of the personal relationship between one police officer’s family and a member of Sapsford’s family. One police officer was reportedly told: ‘It was so long ago, forget about it.’

For some, years later, the pain goes on. Today I received this e-mail:

‘Derryn, In 2003 you presented a story about a Victorian Priest named Allan Sapsford who was molesting Altar boys.  If it is not too much trouble I would really appreciate a follow up on this story.  My brother was a victim who could not be saved.  He took his own life last Thursday March 26.  He lived with demons all his life and I think the victims need closure, or at least knowledge that something has or is being done about it.’

Karen. This is scant consolation. But some of us were listening and are still listening.

Monday, March 30, 2009

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2009