Sexual abuse found to span four decades in Masterton home for boys

11.45am


New information has shown sexual offending at the former Sedgley Boys Home in Masterton spanned four decades, more than two perpetrators and multiple victims, the inquiry set up to investigate the offending has discovered.

Previously the sexual offending was thought to be confined to one period and one offender in the 1960s.

Now, Sedgley inquiry spokeswoman Lisa Rossiter has said the offending was not isolated and happened at times between the 1940s and 1970s.

"Unfortunately there is more than one victim and more than one perpetrator.

"The interim report has found that there were instances of abuse at several different times of Sedgley's existence unfortunately."

Ms Rossiter said there were more than two perpetrators.

The boys' home closed in the 1980s but the Sedgley Family Centre operates out of the same site and its board, which was appointed by the Anglican Church, undertook the investigation and appointed the inquiry team.

Ms Rossiter said the inquiry team had finished an interim report but had not presented it to the board as the report was being circulated to complainants.

She said there were still just three formal complaints but between 15-20 other people had also contacted the inquiry team about their experiences at the home.

Ms Rossiter said the team hoped to have the report ready as soon as the comments were received from complainants.

"It will be a report to the board and will contain a series of recommendations. Everything is out in the open now and I would hope (the report would be ready in) February but it may be March."

Previously, former Sedgley Boys Home resident Michael Ruskin, who lived there in the 1960s, has said the man who abused him was dismissed but went on to work at a school.

News of the sexual abuse at Sedgley broke in September when the Anglican Archbishop of Wellington, Thomas Brown, issued a public apology on behalf of the church to one man who said he had been abused while a child at the home.


- WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE (MASTERTON)