Crimes of the Cross: The Anglican Paedophile Network of Newcastle, Its Protectors and the Man Who Fought for Justice

Anne Manne

Mar 2024 · Bolinda · Narrated by Fiona Macleod

Audiobook

13 hr 29 min

Unabridged

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About this audiobook

For many years, Newcastle was the centre of an extensive paedophile network run by members of the Anglican church – and protected by parishioners and community members who looked the other way. In this gripping audiobook, Anne Manne reveals how this network was able to avoid detection for so long, and how its ringleaders were finally exposed and brought to justice. At the centre of the story is a survivor, Steve Smith, who endured years of childhood abuse but refused to be silenced. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with survivors, clergy, police and others, Manne explores how the network operated and how it became entrenched in the upper echelons of Newcastle society. She offers deep insights into the minds and strategies of abusers, and pays tribute to the victims and their tireless struggle for justice. Child sexual abuse has previously been thought of as an individual crime; Manne pioneers an examination of it as part of a network. This is an unforgettable study of courage and faith in the face of unthinkable evil.

About the author

Anne Manne is a regular contributor to the Age and the Monthly. Her book Motherhood: How Should We Care for Our Children? was shortlisted for the 2006 Walkley non-fiction prize. She has written widely on feminism, motherhood, childcare, family policy, fertility and related issues.

Fiona Macleod is a gifted actor and narrator. She has studied with renowned NY acting coach Jack Waltzer and the Chekhov Actors’ Training Institute. Fiona co-founded the theatre company The Other Tongue, which has toured internationally. Her TV work includes My Life is Murder, Wentworth, Offspring, 7 Types of Ambiguity, Paper Giants 2, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and A Dangerous Method. Film credits include Roy Hollsdotter Live and Noise, winner of an AFI Award.

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