Catholic man found guilty of sex abuse

Fraser Coast Chronicle, today, 22nd of August, reports the case of a Catholic brother Francis Brophy who has just been found guilty of sex abuse charge. According to the report, it Brophy taught music at a Queensland orphanage in the 80s. He was found guilty of abusing a teenage boy in his care around his service year in the early 1980s.

Francis Brophy, according to the report, ‘had been on trial in the Brisbane District Court fighting allegations he abused the teen, who lived at a BoysTown facility in the Scenic Rim Region’ some three decades back.

Fraser Coast Chronicle stated that Brophy was convicted of a total of five counts. In the count, three were considered most indecent. Especially, for the stance of who was in the dock.

“The jury retired to start deliberations on Friday, returning this afternoon to convict him of a total of five offences, including three counts of indecent treatment and two of carnal knowledge,” the report disclosed.

Brophy however was acquitted of one count. This, according to the report, ‘came after the trial heard Brophy’s victim, who had wanted to learn guitar, was first abused in early 1982.’ It was recounted according to the crown prosecutor Michael Lehane that the years of mistreatment began during what was meant to be a private lesson in a shed at the BoysTown facility.

“(Brophy) in essence sexually exploited (the boy) in a very grave way,” he told the jury in his opening remarks. Judge William Everson is therefore expected to sentence Brophy this afternoon.