Australia: Christian Brother William Houston convicted twice of abusing boys in his care at St Augustine's Orphanage

Proceedings

1. 2016-05-17 · jury trial and sentence

   County Court of Victoria, Melbourne. A jury unanimously convicted William Houston, a former Christian Brother who worked at St Augustine's Orphanage between 1963 and 1971, of eight charges of buggery, attempted buggery and indecent assault against three victims who had been made wards of the state and placed in the Brothers' care. He was sentenced to 12 years and 9 months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of 8 years.

2. 2021-05-12 · second trial (judge alone) and sentence

   County Court of Victoria, Melbourne. Following a further judge-alone trial, Houston was found guilty of one charge of buggery and three charges of indecent assault against two further victims from the same orphanage, and acquitted on two other counts.

Documented coercion mechanisms

• supervised the dormitory in which wards of the state, removed from their families by the Children's Court, slept and lived under his direct custodial and religious authority
• victims had no family or outside advocate to report to; the orphanage was run entirely by the Christian Brothers order Houston belonged to