Former brother admits assaults

A former teaching brother at De La Salle College, Malvern, yesterday admitted molesting a dozen boys between 1972 and 1978.

Police allege a superior knew about the situation in the early 1970s, but allowed the brother to continue in the classroom.

In the Melbourne Magistrates Court, Frank Terrence Keating, 55, of Ferntree Gully, pleaded guilty to 20 charges of indecent assault.

Keating - known at the school as Brother Ibar - was ordered to appear at the County Court on 11 February.

In documents tendered to the court, police allege Keating indecentlyassaulted boys at school, in their homes, on outings and at camps.

In a written victim impact statement, one man said he had suppressedthe incidents for 20 years. When they came to light, he became so illhe could not work, and attempted suicide.

He raised his children as Catholics, but could not bring himself totake part in classroom activities in the way other parents could.

"I suffer attacks of panic and a loss of confidence at the thoughtof entering a school, let alone talking to the teachers," he said.

"My memory is that Ibar's superiors knew what was happening. Thatthey did nothing to stop it continuing has totally destroyed my faithand trust and confidence in teachers and religious (teachers) inparticular."

Another alleged victim, who had kept silent for 20 years, said in awritten statement that he tried not to dwell on the assaults because itupset him.

"Telling both my wife and my parents about what had taken place wasone of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life," he said.

A third man, whose genitals were allegedly fondled while he sat athis desk, said he had wanted to yell out for the brother to stop butdid not want to draw more attention to the assault.

"I was aware of other students looking at me and sniggering as they were aware what Brother Ibar was doing," he said.

Keating is no longer a religious brother.