Graeme Lawrence is one of the most senior members of the Anglican church to be convicted of child sexual offences. Lawrence was the Dean of Newcastle for 25 years and received a number of prestigious awards, including an Order of Australia medal.
That all changed in 2019 when he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 1991. The offence occurred at Lawrence’s Church-owned residence, right next to the Cathedral. He was sentenced to up to 8 years in prison.
This came after almost a decade of allegations about Lawrence, including his role in covering up allegations about fellow Anglican paedophile Father Peter Rushton. Lawrence was part of what became known as the ‘gang of three’, comprising of senior Anglican figures who were all complicit in covering up Rushton’s crimes.
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Shockingly, Lawrence even took it upon himself to answer the Church’s child sexual abuse telephone hotline, taking calls from victims of abuse and placing himself in the perfect position to cover up the allegations and tip off offenders.
Lawrence came to Newcastle in 1984, previously serving as an Anglican priest in Griffith. He was far from the only paedophile within the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, with other offenders (amongst others) including Peter Rushton, James Michael Brown, Andrew Duncan and former Bishop Ian Shevill.
Kelso Lawyers represents victims of abuse all over Australia, but as a Newcastle based firm, we are also proud of our long history of helping local victims in the Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast regions to seek justice.
If you suffered abuse in a church, school or children’s home, we want to hear from you. We will fight for you. Click here to share your story, or call us on (02) 4907 4200.
Image source: News.com.au
