Ex-Catholic brother faces child sex charge

Laine Clark | November 7, 2022

A former Catholic brother has been committed to stand trial on a child sexual charge after a court heard his alleged victim struggled for months to sign a police statement.

Frank Terrence Keating, 80, on Monday appeared at a Brisbane committal hearing via video link charged with one count of carnal knowledge of a child.

Prosecutors allege Keating committed the offence north of Brisbane in 1989.

Keating is a former teacher at a school north of Brisbane where he was also known as Brother Ibar.

It took about three months for the alleged victim to sign his police statement, the court heard on Monday.

Detective Senior Constable Christopher Ramey took the alleged victim’s statement last year.

“It was difficult because (the complainant) was extremely upset and had a lot of trouble talking about it,” Det Sen Const Ramey said.

Asked by defence barrister Terry O’Gorman whether the delay raised witness credibility issues, Det Sen Const Ramey said: “I didn’t believe this was an issue”.

Mr O’Gorman replied: “Oh come on. How experienced are you?”

When pressed by Mr O’Gorman about why he did not think the delay was an issue, Det Sen Const Ramey said: “Because I was concerned about his welfare.

“I didn’t think it was (an issue) because there’s no statute of limitations on this offence.

“I believe he was doing everything he could to get in, emotionally. I’m aware he attempted self-harm.”

Another witness told the court that the alleged victim had told him in 2020 that he had been “one of Ibar’s boys”. 

Keating was not required to enter a plea and was committed to stand trial in the Brisbane District Court at a date to be fixed by acting magistrate Patrick Murphy.

Keating – who appeared via video link from Victoria – earlier this year was committed to stand trial on 15 child sexual charges that allegedly occurred during the 1980s.

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