Name
Address
Date
Statement
Beverley Anne LEVEY
Known to the Royal Commission
2 October 2015
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
1. This statement made by me accurately sets out the evidence that I am prepared to give
to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The
statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
2. My full name is Beverley Anne LEVEY. I was born in 1942 in Ormond, Victoria. I am now
73 years old.
3. I was born into a very strict Irish Catholic family. My mother was a housekeeper for many
priests in the parish of Ormond, in south-eastern Victoria. She was a very strict Catholic
and growing up we were taught to respect the Church. Priests and clergy were placed in
extremely high esteem. I have been a practicing Catholic all my life and attended church
every Sunday from the day I was born until recently.
4. I met my ex-husband, Geoffrey, in about 1965 and we were married in 1967. We had one
child, Paul, who was born in 1968. We raised Paul as a Catholic and we taught him to
respect the clergy throughout his chi ldhood.
5. In 1980, Paul started attending St Bede's College, Mentone, which was run by the De La
Salle Brothers. We lived in Keysborough at the time.
RIDSDALE
6. In 1980, during Paul's first year at St Bede's, a family friend, Sister Genevieve from the
Presentation Order at Dandenong, introduced us to Father Gerald RIDSDALE ('Gerry').
Gerry was studying at the National Pastoral Institute in Elsternwick at the time.
Signature:·····~·· ··· ·· ····· · · ·· ·· · · ······· ······· Witness: ..... . N .. ~······· ;;·;~~~~;
STAT.0739.001.0001
Statement in the matter of Case Study 28 Statement of Beverley Anne LEVEY continued
Page 2 of 6
7. Sometime in 1980, Sister Genevieve rang me up and asked if Paul and I would like to go
on a trip to the opal fields at White Cliffs.
8. Paul and I went to White Cliffs for two weeks. My husband did not come. We went with
a group of kids and adults, some of whom were members of Gerry's family. There was a
nun from the National Pastoral Institute, Rosemary CRUMLIN, and a couple of Gerry's
brothers and their kids. We all stayed in tents.
9. Gerry spent a lot of time with Paul on that trip but I never thought anything sinister was
happening.
10. After returning to Melbourne from this trip, Gerry became a family friend - he often
visited the family home, usually on a weekly basis, and picked Paul up from school every
now and then. Gerry would take him on different outings, including to the pictures and
the zoo. Paul also occasionally stayed overnight with Gerry at the National Pastoral
Institute on weekends.
11. My husband and I separated in March 1980. At this time, Paul was misbehaving and not
attending school. I pulled Paul out of St Bede's in 1981 as I could not afford the school
fees by myself.
12. Paul then attended Chandler High School for a short period of time. While he was there
he continued to misbehave and did not attend school.
13. I then moved Pau.1 to a local technical school to try and settle him. I thought he was
misbehaving because my husband and I had separated.
14. Throughout this time, Gerry continued to see Paul and used to take him away on
weekends, including another trip to White Cliffs. I thought it was great that Paul was
spending time with Gerry since his father was not around.
Signature:······~························ ··· ····· Witness: ...... ~~························
STAT.0739.001.0002
Statement in the matter of Case Study 28 Statement of Beverley Anne LEVEY continued
Mortlake
Page 3 of 6
15. One day in early 1982, Gerry phoned me and said he had just been to the technical school
to get some keys from Paul, but the Principal had told him Paul had not been at school
for two weeks. I was never informed about his truancy.
16. I remember my ex-husband rang me up and said that Gerry RIDSDALE was coming to pick
up Paul. Gerry had offered to take Paul up to Mortlake to live with him. He said he would
put Paul into the Catholic Regional College.
17. Soon after Paul left to go to Mortlake I rang Rosemary CRUMLIN, who had taught Gerry
at the National Pastoral Institute. She was still working there. I rang her and said 'They've
taken Paul off me and he's gone to Mortlake'. She said 'You want to get a solicitor', but it
did not register at that time that I needed to.
18. I spoke to Paul on the phone when he was at Mortlake but I am not sure how often.
19. I remember visiting the presbytery in Mortlake once with my mother. I called Gerry to tell
him I was coming but when I arrived Gerry told me Paul was at the football. I asked Gerry
to go and get him, which he did. When Paul arrived, we all went into the presbytery. Me,
my mother, Paul and Gerry sat around and chatted for a couple of hours. This was the
only time I visited Paul in Mortlake.
20. During the time Paul was in Mortlake my ex-husband called and said that Gerry wanted
the family allowance that I was receiving from the government. I said no.
21. I did not like the situation at all. I was devastated because they had taken my son away.
Paul's father kept saying that it was a good idea for Paul to be at Mortlake. They had no
right to take Paul as I had custody of him. At the time I was still reeling from the marriage
break up and didn't think to call the police.
Signature: ...... &.1::.'.;····· ························· Witness: .....•.. ~ ................... .
STAT.0739.001.0003
Statement in the matter of Case Study 28
Statement of Beverley Anne LEVEY continued
Bishop MULKEARNS
Page 4 of 6
22. Not long after Paul had been in Mortlake, I decided to call the Bishop's office to speak
with the Bishop of Ballarat, Bishop MULKEARNS. When I called the Bishop's office, the
man who answered told me the Bishop was not coming to the phone. I don't think I told
him why I was calling. I kept trying to speak to the Bishop, I think I called three or four
times. Finally I said I would not stop calling until Bishop MULKEARNS spoke to me.
23, When I eventually spoke to Bishop MULKEARNS I said, 'How can you can let a child live in
a presbytery with a priest? That's not appropriate. I want Paul taken out of there'. Bishop
MULKEARNS said there was nothing he could do, as RIDSDALE had Paul's father's
approval. He hung up on me. I don't recall anything else that was said during this
conversation. I had at least another two similar conversations with MULKEARNS but each
time I was ignored.
24. While Paul was still living at Mortlake, I received a call from my brother, Edmond KENNY,
who lived in Towrang. He said, 'Gerry RIDSDALE came here and said that he's having
trouble with you'. I had not spoken directly to Gerry about Paul. I can only assume that
Bishop MULKEARNS told him that I was calling.
25. A few weeks later, I called the Bishop's office again. Again it took several attempts to
reach the Bishop. I called three or four times.
26. When I finally spoke to Bishop MULKEARNS I was angry and upset. Again I said, 'Do you
think it's appropriate that a boy is living at the presbytery with the priest?' He didn't
answer and so I said, '/will get the police involved if you don't do something about Paul
and RIDSDALE'. He hung up on me again.
Paul is moved out of the Mortlake presbytery
27. Soon after my last phone call with the Bishop, Paul was moved from the presbytery to a
local farm in Mortlake with a good family.
Signature:·····~··········· ····· · ················· Witness: ...... ~~················ ·······
STAT.0739.001.0004
Statement in the matter of Case Study 28
Statement of Beverley Anne LEVEY continued Page 5 of 6
28. Towards the end of 1982 Paul went to live with his father in Sun bury for a short time.
29. There is one incident in particular I have always remembered. This occurred after Paul
moved out of the presbytery and was living in Sunbury. Paul was in hospital after a
trampoline accident, and Gerry came to visit him. Paul said to me, 'Mum I don 't like him
here touching me'. I had seen Gerry touch Paul on the hand. I went to the nurse's station
and said that Gerry wasn't allowed to visit Paul again. I didn't think much of it, although I
noticed that Paul was clearly uncomfortable.
30. In or about 1983, Paul suggested we move to Albury as we had friends up there. We
moved from Keysborough to Albury and I hoped it would give Paul a fresh start.
Unfortunately, Paul continued to go off the rails with school, discipline and authority.
Eventually he left and joined the army.
31. Gerry visited us once more when we were in Albury. He had driven up with his parents
who waited in the car. He only stayed about 15 minutes. This was the last time I saw Gerry.
RIDSDALE arrested
32. It was not until the 1990s when I saw vision of Gerry on television and an interview with
Paul on the 7.30 Report saying he was pressing charges against Gerry that everything
came together.
33. I was devastated, angry and upset and still could not believe this was done to Paul by
someone who everybody respected.
34. Paul and I didn't speak for about three years after this. Our family was broken because of
what had happened.
35. I haven't come forward with this information before now because someone told me a few
years ago that Bishop MULKEARNS was dead. I now know that he is alive and well.
Signature: ........ ~~ ............................... Witness: ....... N.~ .................... .
STAT.0739.001.0005
Statement in the matter of Case Study 28
Statement of Beverley Anne LEVEY continued
Page 6 of 6
36. It has been hell to live with the knowledge that Paul was abused by Gerry. I am constantly
reminded of it every time someone talks about child sexual abuse on the radio, in the
newspapers or on the television. It is especially painful when they are talking about Gerry.
37. I continue to feel guilty and blame myself for not having had my eyes open at the time
the abuse occurred .
Signed: . ... ~ .. : ..... . .. ... .... .
Date: .. ?.: .. :: .. f. .q, .. :~ ... J. .. 9.L -5. .... : .. ............... .... .
Witness: ...... N .. ~ ............................... .
Date: ..... .J./ .. ! .. ~/ .. ~ .. ~ ................................. .
STAT.0739.001.0006