"Community officer Allan Ray Gollan sexually abused kids "
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- Category: Uncategorised
- Created: Friday, 06 July 2012 19:12
- Written by http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/community-officer-allan-ray-gollan-sexually-abused-kids/story-e6frea83-1226058949362
A RESPECTED Aboriginal police officer has tried to apologise in court to the children he sexually assaulted almost 40 years ago.
Allan Ray Gollan's attempt at contrition received a mixed reaction in the District Court today - one of his victims, now an adult, walked out rather than hear his words.
Gollan, 61, of Pennington, has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of indecent assault, unlawful sexual intercourse and false imprisonment.
The charges date back to the 1970s and 1980s.
"I know that I've done many things wrong in my life and one of those is the mistreatment and behaviour of myself upon you," he said in court today.
"For the pain and suffering I have brought upon you, I am deeply sorry."
Three of Gollan's four victims had their impact statements read out to the court.
"Why didn't I scream louder, maybe if I had told more people it would have stopped sooner," she said.
"I view myself as broken and damaged goods.
"Being a child wasn't meant to be that hard, heart-breaking or disgusting."
Another victim said she had since chosen a path that enabled her to help others in similar situations.
Gollan was a community constable with the South Australian Police for almost 20 years.
He was suspended from duty upon his arrest in 2009.
Andrew Moffa, for Gollan, said his client was a reformed alcoholic who had not had a drink for about 20 years.
He said Gollan had turned his back on his "dark period" when he was about 40.
His client, he said, had been sexually abused himself by two family members and told it was "the way that things were done".
"It's an almost Shakespearean tragedy," he said.
"(When sentencing) Your Honour will be dealing with an entirely different man as opposed to that man in the dark period.
"That's part of the tragedy."
Emma Wildman, prosecuting, said Gollan's own past of sexual abuse was not a mitigating factor.
"He was in even a greater position than most not to inflict that level of pain and suffering on other people," she said.
Judge Kevin Nicholson revoked Gollan's bail and will sentence him next month. (Source : http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/community-officer-allan-ray-gollan-sexually-abused-kids/story-e6frea83-1226058949362)
