Please excuse me, I realise Im likely the last cab off the rank regarding this issue and its probably been discussed extensively throughout this thread but I just need to share my 'outrage and disgust' after having read THIS:
'According to paper, court documents show the NSW Department of Family and Community Services had case notes dating back to 1987 that detail allegations that Mr Spedding had assaulted two girls, aged three and six, in Sydney.“Police have been informed the offences … were not pursued formally by police at the time of disclosure due to concerns as to the welfare of the victims, given their tender age,” a fact sheet said'.
http://www.news.com.au/national/cri...th-bill-spedding/story-fns0kb1g-1227322744804
I beg your pardon!!?? So, the Department of Family and Community Services and the police were SO concerned about the welfare of these children they neglected to pursue their reports, to provide them with any type of legal protection or justice and allowed a child abuser to remain free without record in the community, to foster children and to potentially, likely, claim further child victims. Its clear that while charges were never brought in the incidents dating from 1987 the DFCS and the police did indeed have access to these numerous and extensive allegations, (and from what I can gather from this article), the issue with bringing charges was not for lack of evidence but related to some misguided sense of charity on behalf of the DFCS and police to spare the victims of their own intrusive investagative and legal processes.
That this individual was not held accountable and was free to operate within the community with no flags to his history is frightening enough, but that the DFCS allowed him to foster children given the case notes that existed is just like ...WHAT!!??? Well done DCFS and Australian Police!