Ombudsman report into convicted paedophile Robert Whitehead’s employment released

THOUSANDS of dollars will be paid out to victims of a Puffing Billy paedophile after a damning Ombudsman’s report revealed the monumental failings of senior management that allowed him to prey on children for decades.

THOUSANDS of dollars will be paid out to victims of a Puffing Billy paedophile after a damning Ombudsman’s report revealed the monumental failings of senior management that allowed him to prey on children for decades.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass said we would never know how many victims child predator Robert Whitehead was able to abuse while ­working at various Victorian railway groups between 1961 and 1991.

The year-long investigation found senior members of the Puffing Billy board “time and time again” acted to protect the reputation of the organisation rather than deal with dozens of abuse allegations.

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Robert Whitehead in 2015. Picture: Wayne Flower.

Tourism Minister John Eren said he hoped Whitehead — who died in jail in 2015 — was “burning in hell” and vowed to apologise face-to-face to Whitehead’s victims.

Wayne Clarke, who was subjected to horrific abuse as a 13-year-old, said it had been a long journey to reach this point.

“I’m just relieved,” Mr Clarke told the Herald Sun.

“(The report) has been a long time coming, so I’m relieved it’s finally finished.”

Lawyers acting on behalf of six of Whitehead’s victims have issued proceedings in the Supreme Court claiming damages.

It is understood the state government has indicated it will enter into settlement negotiations.

The evil child molester enjoyed “unfettered access” to children, including supervising overnight work parties with young volunteers, despite ­previously being jailed for ­abducting and molesting a boy scout in 1959.

The scathing report prompted the disbanding the Emerald Tourist Railway Board last week and resignation of the entire Puffing Billy board, including CEO John Robinson.

Puffing Billy chief executive John Robinson has resigned. Picture: Andy Brownbill/Fire

Evidence given to investigators by Mr Robinson was described as “unreliable” and “incorrect” by Ms Glass, who disputed Mr Robinson’s public claims he only became aware of rumoured allegations against Whitehead in 1990.

The investigation found concerns were raised about Whitehead’s “untoward” behaviour as early as 1970, and by 1986 at least five complaints had been made against him.

Despite this, Whitehead was not removed until 1991 — six years after multiple board members were made aware of an ongoing police investigation and confronted the depraved paedophile.

The investigation probed the convicted paedophile’s re-employment at Victoria Railways and other rail entities, including Puffing Billy.

The shocking investigation found one boy, William Elms, was “banned” from volunteering at the beloved steam train after making allegations against Whitehead and another convicted paedophile, Anthony Hutchins.

In a handwritten letter, (below), the 17-year-old pleaded with the organisation to be allowed to return but was ultimately rejected.

Mr Elms’ mother Alice, who repeatedly called Puffing Billy throughout the 1980s to warn them of Whitehead, told the Herald Sun on Monday night the board “deserve everything they get”.

“They should’ve resigned years ago,” Ms Elms said.

“(The report) is a relief, but I’m stuck knowing what happened to Bill.”

Whitehead was found guilty of 24 child sex offences in 2015, but died just two months into his eight-year sentence.

The government has set up Centre Against Sexual Assault Line to provide support to victims on 9594 2289.

A letter from abuse victim William Elms asking to work at Puffing Billy again.

PUFFING BILLY SEX ABUSE PREDATORY CHILD CLAIM SLAMMED

A SENIOR member of Puffing Billy’s board told investigators that a victim of a lifelong abuser who preyed on children at the railway could have been a “predatory child”.

Former Puffing Billy vice-president Philip A’Vard said 17-year-old William Elms, who could not return to volunteer because his abusers were still at the organisation, could have been “causing the problem”.

“Don’t think I’m trying to rationalise or get out of this, but I’m putting another possibility on the table and that is that of the predatory child,’’ Mr A’Vard said to an ­investigator.

An Ombudsman’s report found the Puffing Billy board had protected predators Robert Whitehead and Anthony Hutchins for decades by not acting on several valid complaints.

Mr A’Vard said he would have heard some “rumour and scuttlebutt” about Whitehead’s offences against children in the 1970s but nothing that was specific enough for him to act.

However, Mr A’Vard told his own son in the 1970s to stay away from Whitehead “because he likes little boys”.

The Ombudsman’s report found that chief executive John Robinson confronted Whitehead about child sex offences in 1985 — six years before Whitehead was forced to resign in 1991.

The resignation of Bob Whitehead as secretary of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in 1985 as published in the Puffing Bill Preservation Society Monthly.

Tourism Minister John Eren said he could not fathom why the board had acted to protect “the monsters in its midst”.

“I found it absolutely abhorrent to even suggest that children were the perpetrators of this evil act,’’ Mr Eren said. “To suggest that they were predatory in their behaviour towards evil men … I just can’t fathom it. And this is his justification for protecting evil people.”

Mr Robinson resigned as chief executive last week, along with the full Emerald Tourist Railway Board.

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