A Catholic Brother accused of sexually abusing four children at Altona and Altona North has been committed to stand trial in the Melbourne County Court on April 20, 2015.
Bernard Joseph Hartman, 74, has entered pleas of not guilty for 16 sexual assault and two assault charges. He has been charged with 14 counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency with a girl under 16.
Taskforce Sano detectives allege the offences happened at St Paul’s College at Altona North and in Altona homes between 1976 and 1982. It is not known if there will be one trial or separate trials.
Witness statements tendered to the Melbourne Magistrates Court, which were obtained by the
Weekly on Wednesday, are from two males and two females, now in their mid-to-late 40s.
One man, 48, stated that Hartman was his biology teacher at St Paul’s in 1981 when he was in year 10. The witness turned 16 in June that year.
He described Hartman as “a Jekyll and Hyde-type of person” and said that the abuse “happened all of the time”.
“I have no doubt that Brother Hartman used to enjoy hitting me as well as sexually abusing me. After more than 30 years I am still suffering. My innocence has been taken by a man of God, Brother Hartman.”
Another witness, also 48, had Hartman as his biology teacher in years 9 and 10 at the same college.
The witness said that when he repelled Hartman after being sexually assaulted, he was threatened with expulsion and Hartman said no one would believe him.
“I said yes they will because I have never lied to my parents and Hartman would have a scandal on his hands when they belted him.
“I just shut this out of my mind until I saw
The Age about 12 months ago with an article on the front page about … Brother Hartman… When I saw the photo my blood went cold.”
A female witness, 49, alleged that Hartman sexually assaulted her from the ages of eight to 11.
Another female witness, 45, alleged that she was five or six when Hartman first sexually assaulted her.
