Robert “Dolly” Dunn

Robert “Dolly” Dunn was born on 30 January 1941 and died on 11 July 2009 in Long Bay Prison. He left school at the age of fifteen and joined the novitiate of an order of Teaching Brothers. He left the novitiate without becoming a Brother. He became a lay school teacher, teaching science at Marist Brothers Penhurst for nearly 20 years. Robert Dunn was also in charge of dishing out punishment for misbehavior where he had his own private office for doing so. During his time at Marist Brothers Penhurst, it is known that Robert Dunn would often sexually abuse students in his office and he would also loiter around the shower block at the School where the boys would shower and change after physical education classes and sport. He would also abuse students in the shower block.

In 1981, Robert Dunn suffered an acute myocardial infarction forcing him to retire from teaching in 1986 due to ill health. New South Wales court records show that the Marist Brothers had knowledge of Robert Dunn sexually abusing students at the school. For example, in 1981 or 1982 it is indicated that Brother Salvius who was the Principal at the School was told by a mother of a student at the School that Robert Dunn had been sexually molesting her son. The fact that Robert Dunn continued to teach at the School after the allegations were made supports the conclusion that the Marist Brothers where indifferent to the allegations (amongst others made against other teachers/Brothers at the School).

In 1994, the NSW Royal Commission into Police Corruption ("The Wood Royal Commission") interviewed Robert Dunn on six occasions between 4 April 1995 and 1 November 1995 in relation to sexually abusing children throughout the 1970s and 1980s while avoiding prosecution for a number of years by paying off corrupt NSW Police Officers in Kings Cross, Sydney. On 26 March 1996, Robert Dunn failed to answer a summons to give evidence before the NSW Royal Commission as NSW Police had come into possession in February 1996 of 72 video cassettes depicting Robert Dunn engaging in homosexual activities with two under age boys. These cassettes had been in the possession of a David Miller, now deceased. On 10 April 1996, NSW police seized a further 223 video cassettes from a location in Mildura. These new video cassettes featured footage of Robert Dunn having sex with boys aged seven to 15-years-old. Consequently, the videos formed the evidentiary basis for the charges which were subsequently laid against Robert Dunn.

Robert Dunn fled Australia to Indonesia before he could be charged by NSW Police. While he was living in Indonesia, it was reported he was living with up to four Australian men who would lure local boys back to their home with gifts of clothes and cigarettes. Robert Dunn realised that he was still under investigation by Australia Police and thus fled again to Honduras in Central America as he was advised that Honduras had no extradition treaty with Australia. He then travelled to Honduras on 12 May 1996. He said that he entered that country via Mexico. On 10 November 1997, he was arrested and questioned concerning the way in which he had entered the country. The interrogating officers from Honduras suggested that he had arrived via Florida. Robert Dunn denied that suggestion. However, he was thereafter taken by aircraft to Miami in the United States of America. On 11 November 1997 he was surrendered by Interpol and the Honduras immigration officials to the FBI. The following day Robert Dunn was brought before a court of law in the United States of America. On 9 February 1998, the Court ordered that he be committed to custody in the United States until surrendered to the Australian government pursuant to the extradition treaty between Australia and the United States. Robert Dunn was ultimately extradited to Australia on 31 March 1998.

Upon his return to Australia, Robert Dunn was charged with a large number of offences committed between 1985 and 1995. On 26 June 2001, he was arraigned before the NSW District Court in Sydney on an indictment containing twenty-seven counts dealing with the sexual assault of minors and the supplying of a prohibited drug to minors. He pleaded guilty to all counts. On 7 December 2001 he was sentenced. The sentences were later adjusted to correct errors. Once corrected, Robert “Dolly” Dunn was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 30 years (commencing on 10 November 1997 and ending on 9 November 2027), with a non parole period of 22-1/2 years (expiring on 9 May 2020).

Moody Law is currently representing clients against the Marist Brothers who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse by Robert “Dolly “ Dunn.

We invite former victims of Robert “Dolly” Dunn to tell us confidentially what information they may have, and we will explain what options are available to help with these cases.

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