Watchdog beefed up after cop’s decades of abusing boys

William Ton | July 10, 2024

Victims of a Tasmanian pedophile police officer will receive compensation and the state’s corruption watchdog will be beefed up after the government accepted all recommendations from a review.

Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds used his status as a “trusted” member of the community to groom and abuse up to 52 young boys as far back as 1988, found an independent review by former war crimes prosecutor Regina Weiss.

Reynolds, who worked for a decade after accusations were first raised against him, died by his own hand in September 2018 while being investigated over child abuse allegations.

The review’s five recommendations have been accepted in full by Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams, with two pending government approval.

Among them is a framework where police acknowledge and engage with people who were groomed or abused by the force’s officers, and a team within Tasmania Police to support victims of sexual offending by a former or serving officer.

Ms Weiss also urged police to strengthen community engagement and build trust between the force, vulnerable groups and sport and recreation organisations to prevent, identify and report grooming and sexual abuse.

The recommendations under government consideration are a redress scheme for Reynolds’ victims, and adding coercive examination to the Integrity Commission’s powers so it can investigate all reports of grooming and sexual abuse by police officers.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday committed to “appropriately deliver” the review’s recommendations, which police minister Felix Ellis said would be implemented “as a priority”.

Ms Weiss delivered her report on Thursday after hearing from 87 people, among them 15 victim-survivors or their families.

She found Reynolds used the perception he had power as a police officer to groom and abuse his victims and their families.

Being heavily involved in football and basketball coaching and admin roles, Ms Weiss said he used sport as his “hunting ground” where he targeted children often though the guise of massaging them or providing sports therapy.

The review identified deficiencies in the sports and police reporting of Reynolds’ crimes, which played a role in his decades-long offending.

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