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Article Category: 2006 November

Surprise witness tells of seeing abuse:[2 Edition]

Description:

Article originally prepared on : 14 November 2006

Surprise witness tells of seeing abuse:[2 Edition]

KEAST, John. The Press. Christchurch, New Zealand:Oct 20, 2006. p. A; 3

A surprise witness sobbed in the High Court in Timaru as she recounted seeing

former Salvation Army captain John Gainsford fondling a girl while giving her a

piggy-back ride.

Christina Cullen, who contacted police on Tuesday after seeing publicity about

the Gainsford case, said she was metres from Gainsford as he fondled the girl

while talking to a woman. She said the woman would not have seen what Gainsford

was doing.

Cullen said she was shocked by what she saw and her stomach knotted.

Gainsford, 69, has pleaded guilty to four indecency counts but denied 23 of

indecency and rape relating to his tenure as manager of the Bramwell Booth

children's home in Temuka, South Canterbury, in the 1970s.

Cullen approached Taranaki police after reading about the Gainsford case on the

Stuff news website.

Cullen said she was a St John cadet leader in Temuka at the time Gainsford

worked at the home, and took four girls to a barbecue.

As they were about to leave one girl said she wanted to live with her and not

go back to the home.

Cullen said she asked why, but the girl seemed reluctant to talk. She asked

again "and it was like a seal had been broken".

She said the girls bombarded her with information, saying Gainsford had touched

them. Cullen said the things they talked about they should not have known

about.

Cullen said that when she took the girls back to the home they told her about

the piggy-back rides, and when she drove in she saw him with a girl on his

back.

Cullen said the first thing she did was betray the girls' trust - - she had

promised to keep their secret -- by telling her supervisor. After the holidays,

Cullen heard Gainsford had left the home. Earlier, a complainant said Gainsford

used a blanket to hide his indecent touching during story time.

The former resident said Gainsford used to touch her indecently under the

blanket. Other children would turn the pages of the book.

She said Gainsford would wash the private parts of the girls at bath time, but

wash other parts of them if anyone came into the room.

One night, she said, she locked herself in the toilet all night after waking to

find Gainsford near her bed and her nightdress was up and pyjama pants down.

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