Events

A court rejects Alasdair Webster’s application for a suppression order after the former superintendent at Daruk Training School argued the public condemnation of his alleged offences exacerbated his heart problem.

A former federal MP accused of historical child sexual abuse offences has unsuccessfully asked a court to keep details of his case secret, arguing public condemnation exacerbates his heart problems.
Key points:

  • Alasdair Webster held the seat of Macquarie for nine years and has an Order of Australia
  • The court heard Mr Webster has received threatening phone calls and had his mail torn up since he was charged
  • The court said his circumstances were not exceptional enough to justify suppression orders

Alasdair Webster is facing 14 charges including buggery and indecent assault from his time as a superintendent at the notorious Daruk Training School near Windsor, NSW in 1977 and 1978.
Media coverage of the 86-year-old’s case triggered “broad public condemnation” and online hatred, including calls for him to be hanged and castrated, his lawyer Manny Conditsis said while arguing for a suppression order.
“The expressed hatred of the applicant is causing both the applicant and his wife very significant stress, anxiety and fear and may well have a serious detrimental effect on his wellbeing due to his serious heart condition,” Mr Conditsis told Penrith Local Court today.
He said Mr Webster’s wife had become hypervigilant about unexpected visitors after two threatening phone calls to their home in January.
The court heard as recently as this week mail in the Webster’s letterbox was torn up and there had been calls for local parents to take their children out of school to instead watch the case unfold.
Following his 10-year stint at Daruk which ended in 1984, Mr Webster went on to hold the seat of Macquarie for the Liberal Party for nine years and was awarded an Order of Australia medal.
His charges were laid after evidence about the school was heard at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
No risk to safety, court hears
Mr Conditsis argued media coverage of his client’s charges had been “sensationalist”, “hysterical”, “irresponsible” and provoked social media uproar.
He cited a 2018 60 Minutes program which “inappropriately” linked Mr Webster to allegations a former resident of the school was the victim of a botched circumcision allegations over which Mr Webster has not been charged.
Mr Conditsis unsuccessfully attempted to have part of the application for a suppression order heard in closed court, which would have even blocked a lawyer representing media organisations, including the ABC, from proceedings.
Dauid Sibtain, for the media organisations, said “impassioned responses” to responsible mainstream media coverage were a “typical facet of the operation of the fourth estate”.
“The evidence doesn’t go beyond fear … there is simply no evidence that there is a risk to the applicant’s safety,” Mr Sibtain said.
Magistrate Brian Van Zuylen refused the application and said while the court viewed Mr Webster’s situation “with sympathy”, he was not persuaded the circumstances were so exceptional as to justify suppression orders.
Mr Webster’s case returns to court on July 10.