NSW predators held accountable by Telegraph’s fight for your right to know

If they had their way, you would never know the names and faces of some of NSW’s most appalling child abusers – if not for the Telegraph fighting for your right to know about predators in our state.

Vile child abuse predators are attempting to have their names, faces and crimes covered up by courts, leaving media to fight for the public’s right to know their stories.

The number of suppression orders granted allowing people charged with crimes to hide their misdeeds from the public eye has soared in the 15 years since the Court Non-Publication and Suppression Act was introduced in NSW in 2010.
The act created a framework for criminals and alleged offenders to seek orders as long as it was found to be necessary in the public interest.

It also provided for orders to be sought for more specific reasons, including concerns about physical or psychological safety, international security, distress in cases involving sexual offences, and the administration of justice.

But the Telegraph has fought efforts by multiple perpetrators of despicable child abuse crimes to have their crimes hidden from public view – and won.

Former swim coach Paul Frost.

Former schoolteacher Monica Young.

Legal provisions allowing journalists to represent their own media organisations in these kinds of applications have seen Telegraph reporters personally defeat these attempts so the public’s right to know is upheld.

In 2019, swim coach and former MasterChef contestant Paul Frost tried to have his matter suppressed when he was charged with dozens of child abuse offences against children he had taught in a southern Sydney swim squad.

Senior reporter Eliza Barr.

I defeated his barrister’s efforts to have orders concealing his identity imposed, allowing his name, face and story to be publicly reported.

He was later convicted of abusing 11 children and jailed for a minimum of 24 years at Sydney District Court, with his intention to appeal filed but not yet enacted.

Likewise, I successfully opposed a barrister’s effort to cover up the case of western Sydney teacher Monica Young when she was charged with sexually abusing a young male student in her care in 2020.

She later pleaded guilty to abusing the boy, and is now out on parole after she was sentenced to a maximum of four years and nine months’ jail.

Senior Counsel Matthew Lewis.

Senior Counsel Matthew Lewis of Level 22 Chambers is a media, defamation and privacy specialist who frequently acts for the Telegraph and other News Corp Australia publications in more complex matters of this kind.

He recently successfully opposed an application to suppress the matter of Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa, a former Sydney charity marketing executive accused of writing an erotic novel that constituted child abuse material.

She has pleaded not guilty to the offences and will defend the matter at court later this year.

BaptistCare marketing executive Lauren Tesolin-Mastrosa.

“The most important thing is that courts and judicial officers are held up to scrutiny, in order for the public to have confidence in the administration of justice,” Mr Lewis said.

“It’s important for the public to understand how the court system operates, how judges judge the cases, and how cases can ultimately be determined.”

Mr Lewis noted all common law countries – from Australia and New Zealand, to Canada, South Africa and the United States – uphold the principle that justice must be seen to be done.

“The more light that shines on the court system, the better, because as the saying goes, sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Mr Lewis said.

“One of the important aspects of the administration of justice is that the media acts as the eyes and the ears of the public – as the public watchdog.”

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Originally published as NSW predators held accountable by Telegraph’s fight for your right to know