‘Loud fence’ honours victims as parole date nears for Park Orchards paedophile Barry Watson

ROWS of ribbons have been tied to a fence at a reserve in Melbourne’s east where a paedophile molested young boys in the 1960s and ’70s, as his parole date nears.

Loud Fence, with tributes to Park Orchards victims of sexual abuse by Barry Watson.

ROWS of brightly coloured ribbons have been tied to a fence in a Park Orchards reserve to mark the horrors inflicted by paedophile Barry Watson, as his parole date nears.

The ribbons, a tribute to Watson’s victims, make-up what is known as a “loud fence” at Domeney Reserve, the exact site where the former Park Orchards youth leader molested young boys in the 1960s and ’70s.

The ribbons were tied to the fence by a woman in support of the victims, as part of the “loud fence” social media movement which encourages people to report abuse.

Watson, who was jailed in December 2013, will be eligible for parole in coming months.

The now 75-year-old abused boys aged between nine and 13 while he was a youth leader for the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS) in Park Orchards.

Court documents show Watson would often order boys to strip naked before molesting them.

Watson would often isolate boys at the society’s hall in Domeney Reserve or his own Park Orchards home before abusing them.

In several instances, Watson, who claimed he himself was sexually abused as a child, would fondle his victims’ genitalia and claim he was checking for diseases.

Watson also abused boys, sometimes in large groups at the same time, during CEBS camps in Warrandyte and Frankston and while driving through Olinda and Healesville for work.

During one incident, Watson, according to court documents, took photographs of a naked boy and told the victim he had friends who would want to look at the photos.

Watson’s victims are now middle-aged men. They will be allowed to address the Parole Board to either support or oppose his early release.

In impact statements to the Melbourne County Court, his victims reported multiple suicide attempts, drug and alcohol abuse, failed marriages and emotional scars.

One victim said he found it difficult to attend his daughter’s sporting events at Domeney Reserve where he was abused.

In December 2013, County Court Judge Rachelle Lewitan sentenced Watson to four years imprisonment with a non-parole period of two and a half years.

A spokesman for the Adult Parole Board said the question of Watson’s parole had not yet been determined.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard this month that a ring of paedophiles abused children throughout Australia during their time as adult leaders in the Church of England Boys Society.

However, the commission did not investigate this abuse in Victoria, where Watson was active.

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