Former St Kilda president Rod Butterss gives court reference for sex fiend David O’Halloran

A former AFL club president has written a reference for a sex grub accused of heinous crimes. Read his glowing statement in full.

Rod Butterss backed an admitted child sex fiend in court.

Former St Kilda president Rob Butterss wrote a glowing court reference for a former charity boss despite knowing his “special” mate committed vile sex crimes towards children.

Butterss went to bat for convicted child sex offender and disgraced ex-charity boss David O’Halloran’s pleading with a judge to let his mate go free.

In a letter dated October 21, Butterss expressed to the court how he met the former Reclink chairman while president of St Kilda Football Club more than 10 years ago.

Butterss said O’Halloran helped him through a battle with drug addiction and mental health issues.

“Having worked side by side with (O’Halloran) at Reclink for six years I can say I know David extremely well,” Butterss told the court.

“I count him as a trusted friend. He has openly admitted to me his legal situation and has somewhat naively made stupid mistakes of which he is truly shocked and sorry … I believe he genuinely seeks to make amends for error of judgement …”

“He is a dear and respected friend, notwithstanding his misjudgment on this occasion … I would like the court to know David is a special person in my life …”

Butterss also lashed the Herald Sun’s “sensationalist” media coverage after O’Halloran’s sick acts were exposed in April this year.

“I know David has suffered extreme embarrassment, a loss of many friends … because of the Herald Sun article and the sensationalising of his recent case in the Magistrates’ Court…,” Butterss wrote.

Butterss during his days as St Kilda Football Club president.

“I was also personally horrified and disappointed when Reclink, in a face-saving reaction to the misleading and shocking media coverage, condemned David publicly and stripped him of his highly valued life membership after 18 years of significant service to the organisation …

“David has also paid the price of significant and relentless embarrassment for his mistake … “The majority of society has spurned and vilified him, and made his life intolerable, save for a few trusted friends who sought not to judge his actions …

“I believe whilst David has made some poor decisions I can see shorthand he is working relentlessly to overcome his shortcomings and become a better person …

“Very respectfully your honour, I believe David needs to be in the community where he can continue his own rehabilitation …”

Rod Butterss’ reference for David O’Halloran.

A family member close to a victim praised the Herald Sun reporting as “accurate” which “painted a picture of how vile these two (O’Halloran and co-offender Paul Torok) are and how they use position and systems to take advantage”.

Judge Richard Smith gave O’Halloran the opportunity to withdraw his County Court appeal on Wednesday after indicating he would be facing a longer jail term.

The warning was given after Judge Smith received glowing references from Butterss, former partner Gabby Cohen, Odyssey House clinician Laziza Hawkins, retired teacher and filmmaker Ross Cooper, actor Steve Bastoni – who also lashed the Herald Sun article – and Port Phillip Council Adventure Playgrounds supervisor Tina Libertone.

David O'Halloran

Judge Smith said the vile child abuse material was “disgraceful and despicable”.

“Your offending had a marked detrimental effect on the victims and their family …,” Judge Smith said.

“It was child abuse material there should be no doubt about this … your culpability and responsibility for the offending is high.”

O’Halloran was sentenced to an 18-month jail term with a minimum nine months after pleading guilty to six charges, including produce, possess and distribute child abuse material.

The fiend was busted after he shared videos and images of himself having sex with an underage transgender schoolgirl via his Grindr account.

O’Halloran and Torok filmed themselves having sex with a second underage schoolgirl which they shared with a Kik sicko ring.

Paul Torok

Torok messaged O’Halloran asking if he wanted to have a threesome with the second victim.

“I have a friend who want (sic) to be with two men. But she’s young,” Torok said.

“The younger the better,” O’Halloran replied.

“I like very young. I’m already f---ing a 16 yo.”

The co-accused picked the victim up from near her school and drove her to O’Halloran’s home where they had sex in late 2019.

Police seized O’Halloran’s laptop, iPhone and two storage devices which contained more than 100 child abuse files including vile material which depicted sadism and bestiality.

The court was told some of the child abuse images came with vile captions including “let’s play rape again daddy. I promise I’ll fight harder this time”.

O’Halloran, whose former charity helped many people including those with disabilities, shared a vile video of a girl aged 8-10 with a “clear intellectual disability” performing a lewd act.

Torok, 51, a former real estate agent and Haileybury teacher, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in September to a two-year community correction order after pleading guilty to child abuse material charges.