111111111111111111 - Royal Commission into Institutional ... · Page No: 2 STATEMENT (continued) in...
Transcript of 111111111111111111 - Royal Commission into Institutional ... · Page No: 2 STATEMENT (continued) in...
New South Wales Police P.l90
STATEMENT in the matter of: Place: Newcastle
Police Station Father Vincent Gerard RYAN Merewether
Date : 13 January 1997
Name: REDACTED
Address: ::::::::=:::::::::-111111111111111111 Occupation :1
Tel. No. : ••••••
STATES:-
1. This statement made by me accurately sets out the evidence
which I would be prepared, if necessary, to give in court as a
witness. The statement is true to the best of my knowledge and
belief and ~make it kno~ing that, if it is tendered in evidence,
I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated
anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
2. I am 33 years of age.
3. I am a married man my wife is CNH
children. I work as a REDACTED
lived in the Ne• . ..;castle area all my life.
and I have young
in Newcastle and have
I am the youngest cf REDAClREDAC and grew up in Merewether with my mother and father.
When I was growing up I lived at REDACTED Mere•.vether ...... ~ly
REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTE REDACTED ~EDACTED
~-
4. I was born on REDACTED 1963 and attended REDACTED
Primary school at Merewether from kindergarten to sixth
class which was 1969 through to 1975. After I finished primary
school I went to Marist Brothers Hamilton. I left school in 1981
in year 12 and later worked as a clerk and was married in 1984.
I was raised in a fairly strict Catholic family and attended
Church regularly I became an altar boy in second or third class
around 1972 to 1973, all my brothers were a ltar boys as well.
Witnes Signature:
CTJH.210.01103.0143_R
Page No: 2 STATEMENT (continued) in the matter of: Father
Merewether Name: REDACTED
P.l90A. Vincent Gerard RYAN
5. On Wednesday 8 January, 1997 I was contacted by Senior
Constable GRANT of the Major Crime Squad Newcastle and I had a
conversation with him about Father Vincent RYAN. He explained to
me that my name was mentioned in an investigation into Father RYAN
and asked if I wished to tell him anything. I later arranged to
make a statement to him.
6. When I was an altar boy at St Josephs I remember Father
Vincent RYAN. who was a Priest at St Josephs Merewether at the ~
time. I remember as a student playing in the playgro~d Father
RYAN would come out to the school yard and play with all the boys.
By this I mean he would wrestle with the kids, kids would jump on
him yell and be boisterous. We would jump on his back and play
and I remember he would reach behind his back while a boy was
hanging onto him with his hand and fondle the boys to the genital
area.
7. I remember doing this with Father RYfu~ and he grabbed me on
the genital~, I didn ' t have a problem with this I never thought
about it in a sexual way whatsoever it was just kids fun. It was
common knowledge amongst the kids that Father RYAN would fondle
them while playing I was never really worried about it.
8. When I was an altar boy Father RYAN' was the instructing
Priest and we would train every so~often and I would do duties on
';id•M''d•l m<?rnings and on a weekend. I also did weddings and
funerals, I remember weddings as being the go as you used to get
paid some money from the Father of the Bride.
9 . I have many memories of spending time with Father RYAN, we
would trave_ in his car when going to altar boy duties at funerals
Witnes ignature
CTJH.210.01103.0144_R
P.l90A. Page No: 3 STATEMENT (continued) in the matter of: Father
Merewether Vincent Gerard RYAN
Name: REDACTED
or to go and do errands. Some of these times I was
brother but mostly with other altar boys my age.
these boys were Gerard McDONALD, REDACTED REDACTED
with my
Some of
and REDACTED There were others but I can't remember all of their
names.
10. One particular incident I remember happened in the
of the St Josephs Church Merewether I was standing next to
ea~ng the altar boys roster, Father RYAN came up behind -,:
me, I was standing facing-the wall with the bench in front and he
then held me against the bench. I can't remember how he did this
I just remember being held against the bench I think it was his
body pressure, I couldn't move. I could feel what I believe was
his penis against my body. He then put his right hand around my
body, was standing on my left, and he then fondelled
my genitals on the outside of my school shorts. He did this for
no longer than a minute or two it felt a lot longer because I
couldn't move. I tried to wiggle free from him but couldn ' t move
until he re.leased the pressure when I wiggled away. I remember
the layout of the Sacristy fairly well. I remember feeling
frightened and uncomfortable. I didn't understand what was going
on, mainly because I couldn't move. I knew nothing about sex or
anything at that time I was 9 years old. (I PRODUCE A DIAGRAM OF
THE FLOORPLAl'l' OF THE SACRISTY OF ST JOSEPHS CATHOLIC CHURCH
MEREWETHER) .
11. Another incident I recall well happened in a room that opens
up into Farquar street Merewether it wasn't part of the Presbytery
it was part of the church. I remember it being a large room I
never went in there until this day. I remember Father RYAN was
sitting in a chair lounging back in a chair in this room. I
REDACTED
Witne Signature:
CTJH.210.01103.0145_R
Page No: 4 STATEMENT (continued) in the matter of: Father
Merewether Name: REDACTED
P.l90A. Vincen';: Gerard RYAN
remember he had his penis out through the fly in his trousers.
There were several boys in the room one I know and remember being
Gerard McDONALD. I remember Father RYAN was masturbating I
remember Gerard McDONALD who was sitting close to him either at
his side or in front of him, asking Father RYAN a question,
Gerard said, "Can I suck it until the green stuff comes out."
or something similar to that.
Father RYAN said, "Not today." .... or "Not now" or words similar
to that effect. I remember one of the boys opened the door and '!
Father RYAN jumped up putting his penis back in his pants as quick
as he could.
He said, "Quick close the door."
I don't know why this incident sticks clearly in my mind but I
remember it well and I believe I was shocked at what I had heard
and seen, I didn't have any understanding of it but I knew it was
something bad.
12. Thats all c:f the strange stuff that I recall, I can't
specifically remember the time I went to East Maitland with my
brother it is quiet possible that we did I have no clear
recollection of what Father RYAN told the Police in his interview.
13. I'd like to think that what I had done to me and what I saw
has had no effect on me, whether it has or not I don't know. When
I was thirteen or fourteen I developed a and became
very introverted whether that was part of it I don't know. I
didn't tell anybody my family or friends about what had happened.
Even thought I didn't understand it and had a feeling that it was
bad I didn't think I should tall anybody I felt like it was a
taboo subject. The only person I have told was my wife who I told
after I was married. He was in the newspaper or something about
REDACTED
CTJH.210.01103.0146_R
Page No: 5 STATEMENT (continued) in the matter of: Father
Merewether Name: REDACTED
P.l90A. Vincen t Gerard RYAJ.\f
sell ing a church over near Cessnock I then told my wife how I knew
him and what had happened when I was young. She was furious when
I told her what happened and she later told me that she rang the
Police about it . She also rang the Bishop or someone to tell him
about it I think it was Monsignor COTTER. -
14. Over the years while I have never forgotten about what
happened I thought it best to not worry about it. What has
happened ha§ made me more concerned about the welfare of my 13
children and the possibi~ity of something happening to·them. My
attitude is that while I was growing up the Priest represented GOD
on earth and I looked up to them. What happened to me shattered
my faith in the church, I believe in GOD but have no belief in
Priests or the Catholic Church itself. I believe he should be
REDACTED
Witness Signature:
CTJH.210.01103.0147_R