Alasdair Webster: Suppresion order application quashed by court
A former western Sydney federal MP facing a string of indecent assault charges linked to his tenure at the Daruk Training School in the 1970s and 80s has failed in a bid to have his identity suppressed by the court.
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The former Macquarie Federal Liberal MP Alasdair Webster has failed in a bid to make his identity secret as he faces down a string of indecent assault charges.
The charges against Webster, 86, relate to his tenure of employment at the infamous Daruk Training School, near Windsor.
He was the superintendent of the Daruk Training School from 1973 to 1984, and the allegations relate to a time period from 1977 to 1983.
Webster is charged with buggery, attempted buggery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and 10 counts of indecent assault on a male.
He has denied any wrongdoing relating to his time at the school.
Webster was charged by police in March but on Wednesday faced Penrith Local Court by telephone for a non-publication/suppression order application.
His lawyer Manny Conditsis told the court he believed previous reporting on the matter was “irresponsible”, and further reporting could jeopardise Webster’s chance of a fair trial.
“This has provoked very serious and significant social commentary which have included calls for the death of my client,” he said.
Mr Conditsis said a 60 Minutes program which aired in March 2018, had linked Webster with a “botched circumcision” despite there being “no evidence it occurred”.
“At the time this program went to air, police had not asserted or alleged that he was involved in personally abusing anybody,” he said.
“The emotive language that was used, such as ‘home of horrors’, ‘paedophiles paradise’, and ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ has elevated the attacks against him.”
He said Webster had received an unwanted phone call in January this year prior to any charges being laid, and on Monday had found his mail torn in his mailbox.
He also made reference to several “abusive” social media comments relating to the matter.
However Dauid Sibtain, a lawyer for various media outlets including News Corp Australia, said the matter had “strong public interest”.
“There was the 2013 royal commission that was looking into a variety of complaints including at Daruk Training School,” he said. “This is a matter of intense public interest.”
He also argued any suppression order would “lack utility” as there was no application to withdraw previous articles about the matter that are currently online.
Magistrate Brian van Zuylen denied the suppression order, saying he was not convinced it was necessary.
“The court views with sympathy the situation Webster is in,” he said.
“He’s 86, he has significant health issues, he’s led a blameless public and private life to this point.
“He worked in the child-welfare industry and became a respected MP.
“At all times he’s been asked about it, he’s completely and categorically denied any wrongdoing.
“The court accepts Webster is in a distressing situation, but is not persuaded it (a suppression order) is necessary in this particular case.”
Webster will next appear before court on July 10.