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

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CTJH.210.01103.0148_R