Home And Away actor Bryan Wiseman brings his childhood rapist to justice after 40 years
Former Home And Away star Bryan Wiseman has Ârevealed how he was sexually abused as a child by a family friend who he has helped bring to justice 40 years later. At just 10 years old, he suffered four devastating attacks.
St George Shire Standard
Don't miss out on the headlines from St George Shire Standard. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Former Home And Away star Bryan Wiseman has revealed how he was sexually abused as a child by a family friend who he has helped bring to justice 40 years later.
Mr Wiseman on Wednesday identified himself as the 10-year-old victim of four devastating sexual attacks perpetrated by vile rapist Trevor Dale in 1979 and 1980.
Dale, 60, of Nowra, has pleaded guilty to one count of buggery and one count of indecent assault at Downing Centre District Court. He will be sentenced in November.
MORE NEWS
CO-WORKER SAW TRADIE TRIP AND FALL DOWN SHAFT
MAN ON BAIL AFTER ALLEGED ATTACK OVER PIES
SKI RESORTS SACK STAFF OVER DRUG OFFENCES
It is the end of a nightmare for Wiseman, who summoned the courage to go to police about his abuse in 2017.
Dale denied the rapes until police revealed they had listened to his phone call with Wiseman as they spoke for the first time in four decades.
“He said ‘I’ve been worried you were calling to say ‘hi, it’s been 30 years since you molested me’,” Wiseman told the St George Shire Standard. “(Afterwards) I vomited, because I could physically see it, the smell came back — it dredged it all up.”
Wiseman said the abuse had left him feeling “dirty, ashamed and tarnished”.
“For 40 years he’s kept me in a prison,” he said. “I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt but when I spoke to him and he said it was a bit of fun, it took all of my strength to hold myself back.”
The actor has been supported by family and friends, including former Hey Dad!star Sarah Monahan, whose co-star Robert Hughes sexually abused her.
“I’ve got a new lease on life — it’s like a dark cloud has been lingering over me and it’s just shifted,” he said.
Wiseman met Dale through his parents, who played lawn bowls with Dale at Sylvania Bowling Club. Dale orally raped Wiseman three times at the Wisemans’ Sylvania home in December 1979 and January 1980.
Then in another sickening attack he raped him while forcing his head into the granny flat wall so hard it dented the fibro.
“I was so frightened, and confused,” Wiseman said. “He told me every time he abused me ‘you’re going to get in trouble’.”
He was so badly injured after the last attack his mother followed a trail of blood to the laundry, where Wiseman had hidden his bloodied underwear.
“I screamed that I didn’t want to go to hospital,” Wiseman said. “So my doctor stitched me up.”
Wiseman’s mother was his best friend until the day she died, following a severe stroke, in 2009.
“She felt if she’d been more vigilant it wouldn’t have happened,” Wiseman said.
“Before she died she was in a coma, and I said: ‘Mum, I love you, don’t ever be sorry’, and I saw a tear come down her cheek so I knew she could hear me.”
His mum died 30 minutes later as he held her hand.
Wiseman escaped into acting as the face of Channel 7 and later as Dr John Wilson on Home And Away.
“I want to get back into the industry. I feel empowered now, this is just the start.”