Police charge former Salvation Army officers

Strike Force Lehmann, comprising officers from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad, was established to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by former Salvation Army officers at two boys homes in Bexley and Goulburn.

The allegations were raised at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

Following extensive inquiries, Strike Force detectives arrested a 74-year-old man at a property in Waterloo about 7.30am on Wednesday.

He was taken to Redfern Police Station where he was charged with 23 counts of indecent assault upon a male, two counts of buggery, and procure indecent act with male.

The man was refused bail to appear before Central Local Court on Thursday.

Police will allege in court the man assaulted males at boys homes in Bexley and Goulburn between 1971 and 1974.

A second man, aged 77, was arrested about 7.30am Wednesday at a home in Richmond before being taken to Windsor Police Station.

He was later charged with two counts of indecent assault upon a male, seven counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of common assault.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear before Windsor Local Court on Thursday, December 15, 2016.

It’s alleged the man committed the offences against males in a Bexley boys home between 1968 and 1974.

If any member of the public has information in relation to Strike Force Lehmann, they should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/

Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. 

Police encourage any person who has been a victim of any kind of sexual violence, no matter how long ago the incident occurred, to contact them.

Reports can be made at any police station.