Two former Salvation Army officers have been charged over historic child sex offences allegedly committed at Bexley Boys’ Home and a similar institution at Goulburn in the 1960s and 1970s.
Strike Force Lehmann, comprising officers from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad, was established to investigate allegations, which were raised at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
A police spokesman said a man, 74, was arrested at a property in Waterloo on Wednesday and charged with 23 counts of indecent assault upon a male, two counts of buggery, and procure indecent act with male.
The man was refused bail to appear before Central Local Court today on Thursday, Novembert 3.
“Police will allege in court the man assaulted males at boys homes in Bexley and Goulburn between 1971 and 1974,” the spokesman said.
A second man, 77, was arrested on Wednesday at a home in Richmond and later charged with two counts of indecent assault upon a male, seven counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of common assault.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear before Windsor Local Court on Thursday December 15.
”It is alleged the man committed the offences against males in a Bexley boys home between 1968 and 1974,” the spokesman said.
If any member of the public has information in relation to Strike Force Lehmann, they should contact Crime Stoppers.
Police encourage any person who has been a victim of any kind of sexual violence, no matter how long ago the incident occurred, to contact police.
Reports can be made at any police station.
Bexley Boys' Home was a Salvation Army home that was located on the corner of Kingsland Road and Barnsbury Grove at Bexley North.
It started as a probationary home for boys in 1915, taking boys referred from the courts.
It became a boys' home in 1931. It was renamed Kolling Memorial Boys' Home in 1967 and closed in 1979.
When Bexley Boys' Home was closed the remaining boys were transferred to the Marrickville Children's Residence.
The Bexley site has been redeveloped by the Salvation Army as its Officer Training College and in 2014 contains the Salvation Army's Heritage Centre.
