Five victims of child sex abuse confront their abuser in court

In a rare move, one of five victims that confronted the man that abused them as children has come forward to tell his story.

Adrian Dolahenty told the court of the impact of his abuse. Picture: Gary Ramage

Adrian Dolahenty worked for a minister of the Crown and for two of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies, but his greatest achievement was giving evidence in court today against the man who sexually abused him from the age of four.

The Sydney lobbyist told the NSW District Court how he was violated dozens and dozens of times by his former neighbour Rodney Fraser, who served two decades in the Australian Army. It took 45 years to bring him to justice.

Adrian’s brother Stephen was also a victim and read a statement to the court detailing how the abuse had affected his life as did three others.

A serial paedophile, Fraser has pleaded guilty to over 40 charges involving five victims for crimes that started when he was just 16 years old himself.

In a rare move, Adrian has come forward to tell his story because he wants others who’ve experienced similar abuse to know they can speak out, get help and see justice done.

“The real reason I want to talk about this is so people know if something like this happens to you, you can talk about it and be believed,” Mr Dolahenty said.

Adrian Dolahenty gave evidence in court against the man who sexually abused him from the age of four. Picture: Gary Ramage

The abuse started when Adrian was an innocent four-year-old who looked up to his 16-year-old neighbour as an uncle or older brother.

It continued for over a decade and eventually led Adrian to a mental breakdown, a suicide attempt, a reliance on alcohol and resulted in him being scheduled into a mental health facility as a young adult.

“He was like an uncle or brother who befriended me first before asking me do unspeakable and explicit acts to gratify him. In turn he performed countless sexual acts on me,” Mr Dolahenty told the court.

“I felt violated, diminished, degraded and dirty every time after it happened. The older I got the more I knew it was wrong and wanted to escape it. It was hard to get away from him,” Mr Dolahenty told the NSW District Court in his victim statement.

Subjected to graphic pornography including bestiality from the age of four he had to try and bury what was happening to him at school and at home.

He misbehaved and was a poor performer in school until year 11.

“It was like a monster chasing you but I didn’t have the power to fight back”.

The abuse ended in 1983 when Adrian was 13.

“I got to the age where I learned how to avoid him”.

The abuse ended when Adrian Dolahenty was 13. Picture: Gary Ramage

MORE NEWS:

Child sex abuse material ‘rife on Facebook’

Andrew accuser fears for her life

Outrage over $36m Weinstein settlement

The Dolahenty’s were a strong Catholic family and attended a Catholic school and Adrian knew what was happening was against the family and church values so he felt compelled to keep it a secret.

His suicide attempt at the age of 26 was the catalyst that led him to tell his parents about the abuse.

The abuse was reported to the NSW Police but he dropped the case after his doctors told him he needed instead to focus on recovering his mental health.

In 2017, police contacted Adrian after another victim came forward to make a complaint about Rodney Fraser and he was arrested in Bundaberg, Queensland.

Now happily married with two adult children of his own, the Sydney-based lobbyist said the sexual abuse has scarred his life but he credits his “wonderful wife” and top psychological care for “loving me back to life”.

My life has been challenging but brilliant and I’ve been given amazing opportunities, a happy family and surely the future will be a whole lot better than the past,” he said.

Fraser will be sentenced tomorrow.

If this story raises any issue please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Originally published as Five victims of child sex abuse confront their abuser in court