Paris Street, the former St Kevin’s schoolboy who was groomed by an athletics coach in Year 9, has hit out at Andrew Bolt and Gerard Henderson for a Sky News segment in which they questioned the seriousness of the abuse he suffered.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Bolt Report, Bolt and Henderson criticised a Four Corners story on St Kevin’s College. Bolt frequently said that the victim had been “hit on” by coach Peter Kehoe, and implied that the offending was trivial as “no sex” occurred.
In a post to Facebook earlier today, victim Paris Street slammed the pair for the way they discussed his case. He said that they “trivialised” his ordeal, and questioned whether they actually watched the entirety of the Four Corners documentary, writing:
“Gerard, you [made] the comment: “well of course we’re sympathetic to the victim” … if you displayed any sympathy towards me, you wouldn’t be minimising what was inflicted upon me. Gerard, you wouldn’t respond to Andrew’s question “how bad was it” by saying “well not at all”. I was invited to jump into a 59 year [old’s] bed. I was invited to lick the pre-cum off that same 59 year [old’s] penis. The Facebook messages he sent me. I was fifteen. He was convicted of grooming me.”
He then explained the offence of grooming to the pair, saying:
“For your own knowledge, (it clearly needs enhancement), please refer to the relevant legislation of what grooming actually is. In this, you should take note that, and I will now quote from the Victorian State Government website: “The offence of grooming concerns predatory conduct undertaken to prepare a child for sexual activity at a later time.” To listen to you say that no sex occurred is actually beyond relevant information of the crime itself.”
After mentioning the pain and suffering that victims of sexual abuse feel when the are not supported, he also spoke on his decision to return to the school, saying:
“Just to make it clear: I returned to St Kevin’s because this is where my friends were, my twin brother was (and I don’t know if you’ve ever tried doing this) but settling into another school at the same time you’re giving evidence in a criminal trial as a victim of sexual abuse isn’t very easy. What also isn’t very easy is settling back into a school where I was asked to maintain corridor relations with the dean of sport who endorsed Peter Kehoe, upon my return. You didn’t mention him in your ‘bolt report’ did you? Also, I found out about Stephen Russell’s reference in 2017. Not 2015. Fact check, or, check your facts before you make comments about them.”
Addressing the pair directly, he asked how they would feel if one of their own children had been abused in the way he was:
“Please, both of you, build some common decency and human courtesy into what is required in relation to sexual abuse. Especially if you are to make public comments about it.Gerard Henderson and Andrew Bolt, how would you feel if someone acted the way Peter Kehoe did towards me, towards children of your own? Would your comments be any different?”
Paris Street has been praised for his words, with 3AW’s Justin Smith saying that the young man has “more intelligence, compassion and sensitivity” than Andrew Bolt and Gerard Henderson could ever hope to have.
Paris Street responds to Andrew Bolts disgusting interview with Gerard Henderson. This young guy has more intelligence, compassion and sensitivity than these two could ever hope to have. https://t.co/hVMVapD6UC
— Justin Smith (@justinsmithword) February 20, 2020
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