Paedophile Neil Futcher’s legal aid bid denied in light of Daily Telegraph revelation

CONVICTED paedophile Neil Futcher, who taught at elite Trinity Grammar, has been refused legal aid after The Daily Telegraph revealed he had given away his share of a million-dollar Harbourside home.

CONVICTED paedophile Neil Futcher, who taught at elite Trinity Grammar, has been refused legal aid after The Daily Telegraph revealed he had given away his share of a million-dollar Harbourside home.

Futcher, 70, had been promised public funding to fight his appeal against a sickening series of 22 convictions for sexually abusing six boys as young as 11 between 1974 and 1981, sources said.

But the funding was blocked after it was learned he had transferred his share of the Drummoyne unit — valued at $562,500 — to his brother Geoffrey days before his convictions in 2016.

Former teacher and pedophile Neil Albert Futcher leaves Sydney's District Court in 2016. He was found guilty of 22 child sex charges relating to the alleged abuse of four schoolboys in the 1970s.

Futcher was found to have abused the boys at the unit as well as on weekend camps while he was their teacher and swimming coach at the Summer Hill school.

There is no suggestion Geoffrey Futcher, who said no money had changed hands and his brother had given him his share of the unit, has done anything wrong.

Geoffrey Futcher claimed yesterday that his brother “will get legal aid, there’s no doubt about that”.

The Daily Telegraph’s story from July 22, 2018.

A spokesman for Legal Aid NSW said they could not comment on individual cases but applications were subject to “rigorous checks” before a grant was made.

“The checks made include a statement of income and assets, financial verification, a lifestyle test and a test in relation to legal merits of a case,” the spokesman said.

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It is not known whether Futcher will continue with his appeal against his convictions and sentence of 18 years and four months in jail, with a non-parole period of 11 years.

One of his victims, Rob Anderson, 55, said he was “extremely pleased” that legal aid had been denied.

Victim Rob Anderson enjoyed a drink after the sentencing of School teacher Neil Futcher. Picture: Dylan Robinson

In a separate Supreme Court case, Trinity Grammar has lost its attempt to strike out claims brought by four of Futcher’s victims, including Mr Anderson, who are suing the school for compensation.

The school had already lost its bid to have its name suppressed in the Supreme Court.

Trinity headmaster Tim Bowden yesterday said: “It is inappropriate for Trinity Grammar School to comment at this time.”