maree florence welch states;€¦ · i didn't enlarge upon it as wanted to see what he was...

OPIZS.E QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE 6196 i ' STATEMENT OF WITNESS

STATEMENT OF

Maree Florence WELCH states;

1. I am a married woman of 56 years of age and I live with my husband and daughter at an address which I have provided to the police.

2. I gave birth my daughter Bobbie on the at the Alamander Hospital on the Gold Coast. Bobbie was diagnosed soon after birth with Noonan Syndrome. She is also hearing and vision impaired. She is also a severe epileptic.

3. Bobbie although quite independent at home is not capable of looking after herself and requires full time care.

4. In 1995 I was working at the time for Gold Coast Family Support Group part time. Bobbie attended Arundel State School on a part time basis. She was only going about three days a week to about 1.30pm. If ever I was unable to pick her up from school I would arrange a carer from the Family Support Group, someone that knew her, to pick her up and care for her until I was free. This was not a regular occurrence only at times when I had to attend meetings or work back. I was ensured that she did not have a male carer and that it was someone she knew. There was a couple that had looked after Bobbie since she was eighteen months for about three times a year. They were an older couple who had four or five other children in their care at the same time.

5. On lOth April 1995 I was asked to stay for a meeting and was talked into accepting a carer named john O'Connor to look after Bobbie that afternoon. I was reluctant to accept john

Witness Justice ol the Peace (Qual) I Commissioner of Declarations

I This is of a Statement comprising 7 Pages.

Police Officer

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CONTINUED STATEMENT OF: Maree Florence WELCH

O'Connor as a carer as I did not know him and he had not cared for Bobbie in the past. john O'Connor was a new member of the Family Support Group and I had only met him once briefly.

6. john O'Connor was then required to pick up Bobby from her school at 1.30 pm to 1.45 pm and take her to his place and care for her until I had finished in the meeting.

7. I got to John's place which was at REDACTED

- at about 4.00pm. As I approached the front door I saw that it was open and the screen was closed. I saw Bobbie sitting very quietly on a little mat in front of the TV on the floor. She wasn't talking to anybody. This astounded me as she is usually very chatty and it is unusual for her not to be talking especially as there was another older child present. I immediately thought that she had been in trouble.

8. john was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen just looking at Bobbie as I walked to the door. His daughter was sitting at a table doing homework. She wasn't saying anything to Bobbie.

9. I said to Bobbie, "Are you ready to come home Bobs".

10. She looked around at me and immediately said, "john is a bad man mum".

11 . I didn't know what to say, I didn't want her to say anything in front of him, and before I could think of what to say Bobbie said, "Is he a bad man? He took me from school".

12. I cut in on her as I didn't want her to say anything in front of him. I said, "Oh it is alright Bobbie, Melissa knows john, I rang the school to say that john would be picking you up".

13. john said, "I don't think much of that school". He didn't say why, and I was a bit surprised as he had only picked Bobbie up from the school.

Witness Justice of the Peace (Qual) I Commissioner of Declarations

l This is of a Statement corTlj)risi!lR 7 Pages.

Police Otficer

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I'

14. I said, "Well they are doing a very good job with children with disabilities, it is very early days for inclusion of children with disabilities. They seem to be doing a good job".

15. He said, Bobbie has been watching TV and she has had a biscuit".

16. Bobbie then turned around and said, "He gave me a toy". She then showed me a plastic toy similar to what they give away at McDonalds Restaurants. Bobbie then stood up and walked out the front door to the front entrance.

17. I said, "Bobbie we are going now". John's daughter then got up and went out where Bobbie was.

18. john then said to me, "Does she ever say anything to cause you to query her?"

19. I immediately thought are you wondering whether Bobbie is going to tell me something and how well she can converse with me.

20. I replied to him, "Yes". I didn't enlarge upon it as wanted to see what he was going to say. I wasn't going to tell him how well she could converse with me.

21. He said, "She said, show me your bum, show me your bum".

22. I said, "What, Bobbie never talks like that. I have never heard her say anything like that.

23. He said, "Kids like this like to fantasise. Sometimes their imagination runs away with them".

24. I said, "No one has ever told me that Bobbie says things like that".

25. He then said, "I got my daughter home from school early because I don't like to mind a child in my home without


I This is of a Statement comprisinQ 7 Pages.

Police Officer

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CONTINUED STATEMENT OF: Maree Florence WELCH I'

someone else present. The teacher said why do you want her home early, and I said never mind why I just want her home".

26. I then went outside and john followed me out. He was standing beside the pergola area and he said, "I had a friend once who was accused of molesting a child, but he was never charged or it was never proved, but mud a lways sticks you know". (words to that effect)

2 7. I wondered whether it was a friend or himself that he was referring to.

28. I then got Bobbie into the car and thanked him for picking her up. Once we were out of sight of his house I turned into Ferry Rd Bundall and I said to Bobbie, "Why did you say john was a bad man?"

29. Bobbie said, "I don't know him, he picked me up from school".

30. I said, "That's alright love, Melissa knows him, I had to go to a meeting".

31. She then said in a really little quiet voice, "He hurt my bum".

32. I said, "What do you mean love, he hurt your bum".

33. She said, "I don't know". She gave me the impression that she did not know how to explain it.

34. I was very concerned and thought that I can't question her while I am driving along and I will wait until I get home. When we got home, before I could raise the subject Bobbie said in the kitchen, "I don't like him, he hurt my bum, he hurt my bum with a knife". As she said this she indicated hitting at her pubic area with a closed fist .

35. I said, "Bobbie he didn't cut you with a knife love".


I This is of a Statement comorisino 7 Pages.

Police Officer

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36. She said, "Like a knife".

37. Bobbie later repeated to me that john had hurt her with a knife. She also said, "He hurt me with his pencil".

38. The term knife and pencil confused me, but I did believe that she had been interfered with. I decided to ring the coordinator and just then my husband arrived home and I went out to the front door and told him what had happened and that I was going to ring the coordinator.

39. I telephoned Melissa Poole who was the coordinator of Gold Coast Family Support Service who had arranged for John to care for Bobbie. I had a conversation with her and told her what had happened.

40. The next day at 9.30am I took Bobbie to see Dr Moses at Australia Fair Medical Centre. Bobbie wasn't examined by Dr Moses as I told the Doctor that I would be going to the police.

41. The next morning the manager of the Gold Coast Family Support Group called me into her office as I walked down the hall. I had a conversation with her and she told me something.

42. Because the manager had forewarned john O'Connor, my husband I decided that we would now have to get some more information from Bobbie before we could go to the police as he would have his answers ready.

43. Over the next few months and also over the next three years, Bobbie constantly made comments to myself and my husband about john O'Connor and how he hurt her bum and that she hated him.

44. On the 5th March 1998 Bobbie was watching television and news flash came on that a ten year old girl had been raped. Bobbie said, "What happened to the little girl mum?"

45. I replied, "The little girl was raped".

Witness Justice ol the Peace (Qual) I Commissioner ol Declarations

I This is ol a Statement comprising 7 Paaes.

Police OHicer

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.· CONTINUED STATEMENT OF: Maree Florence WELCH

i .

46. She said, "What does rape mean".

47. I said, "A man put his penis in the little girls bottom".

48. She immediately said, "Like that john did me, I hate him".

49. I said, "When".

SO. She said, "At his house, he picked me up from school".

51. I said, "Where abouts".

52. She said, "His house, his bedroom. Did the little girl cry like me? I hate him."

53. That was all that Bobbie said on this day. I again told the coordinator. The next day we left for Tasmania for a holiday. Before going I made several phone calls trying to find out the procedure for children with disabilities giving statements for court purposes.

54. The day I got back from holidays I attempted to contact the police juvenile Aid Bureau. On the 19th March I made contact wi th Detective Sergeant Neil Parker.

55. On the 21st March Bobbie made a further disclosure concerning john. I made detailed notes of this conversation I had with Bobbie.

56. On the 29th March 1998 I attended the Surfers Paradise Police Station with Bobbie and my husband. I spoke wi th Detective Sergeant PARKER and Detective Brenda RYAN Detective RYAN interviewed Bobbie. We had a further conversation with Detective RYAN and we then left.

57. The next day I took Bobbie to see Dr Kerry Sullivan at Benowa.


I This is of a Statement comprlslna 7 Pages.

Police Officer

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... . CONTINUED STATEMENT OF: Maree Florence WELCH

58. Bobbie made a number of disclosures to me about John O'Connor since then. These disclosures were quite detailed. I made notes of these disclosures.

59. I have spoken to Detective Sergeant PARKER a couple of times since Bobbie was interviewed by Detective Ryan.

60. On the 18th March 1999 I attended the Surfers Paradise Police station with Bobbies' special education teacher Kerrie Franklin of the Arundel State School. Bobbie was interviewed by Detective Sergeant PARKER and Kerrie was present during the interview.

M.F.WELCH

Justices Act 1886

'I acknowledge by vinue of section IIOA(S){c)(ii) of the Justices Act 1886 that:

(1) This wriuen statement by me dated 29/4/99 and contained in the pages numbc:red I to 7 is true to the best of my knowledge and belief; and

(2) I make this statement knowing that, if it were admined as evidence, I may be liable to prosecution for stating in it anything that I know is false.

I •) " 1

............... ..... C1.~ .. '4...!.'.~.W.-/ ....................... ....... ........... Signature

Signed at13,~{.,~·!... ....... th is ........ ?-:fJ..J.k .. day of .. ll.~ .... l9.q (.f · 1-:{e.o~': t" I


I This is of a Statement comprising 7 PaRes.

Police Officer

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maree florence welch states;€¦ · i didn't enlarge upon it as wanted to see what he was...

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