Legal threat for family over abuse claim

A disability support group threatened a mother with legal action for defamation after she repeatedly complained her severely disabled 12-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted by a carer.

Maree Welch, whose daughter Bobbie needs 24-hour care, told a royal commission on Wednesday her close association with the Gold Coast Family Support Group (FSG) soured after she reported the abuse in 1995.

FSG was founded in the 1970s by a group of families on the Gold Coast seeking services for their children with disability.

Ms Welch was deeply involved both as a worker and volunteer and her daughter used the services from 1983.

She said that in 1995 FSG arranged for casual carer John O'Connor to collect Bobbie from school because Ms Welch was required for a meeting.

Ms Welch described her wheelchair-bound daughter as a delightful young woman with a severe genetic disorder who still enjoyed life.

On the way home from O'Connor's house, Bobbie told her mother "John is a bad man" and also "said in a quiet voice 'he hurt my bum'".

Ms Welch said she reported Bobbie's disclosures to FSG co-ordinator Melissa Edwards who said she would tell her mother - FSG manager Dorothy Williams.

All three women were friends at the time.

Ms Welch said Dorothy Williams later told her she had spoken to O'Connor who denied the allegations.

O'Connor continued to work with FSG, Ms Welch said.

Over a period of time Bobbie continued to make disclosures and in 1998 saw a television news report about a girl being raped and asked what it meant.

When it was explained Bobbie said it was like what "'John did to me'".

Bobbie also asked "'Did the little girl cry like me. I hit him'", Ms Welch said.

She reported the rape allegation to police. They interviewed O'Connor, who denied the allegation.

A police crime report noted "it strongly suspected that sexual abuse occurred, but that Bobbie would not be capable of giving evidence".

On Wednesday, a video-taped interview with Bobbie was shown at the hearing.

Commission support professionals spent two days with Bobbie in May.

Bobbie repeated that "John was an awful man" many times.

"I don't like him. He showed me his penis."

Bobbie said "vomit" had come from John's penis and he hurt her bum.

In 1998, Ms Welch wrote again to FSG and received a solicitor's letter asking the family to "cease and desist making defamatory statements about FSG".

She said she was so shocked and upset she wrote back saying: "You are not a family support group, you are a support group for a molester," or words to that effect.

The hearing continues before Justice Jennifer Coate on Thursday when Ms Welch returns to the witness stand.

Former FSG workers will also give evidence.