Policeman acquitted of indecently dealing with children in the 1980s

A 57-year-old policeman has been found not guilty of indecently dealing with four of his students at a Christian Brothers primary school in Perth in the mid-1980s.

Eamon Dominic Heary was accused of indecently touching the boys when he made them sit on his knee at Trinity College between 1983 and 1987.

Defence counsel Philip Urquhart told the District Court jury during his opening address last week that his client vehemently denied the allegations.

Mr Urquhart urged them to give Mr Heary a fair hearing and set aside strong emotions stirred up by the subject of child sexual abuse, noting they would have seen reports from the recent royal commission.

“Emotions have to be set aside. They have to be pigeon-holed,” Mr Urquhart said.

“He did not commit any of the acts that have been alleged against him by these four men … way back in the 1980s … when there were 30 other children in the classroom,” Mr Urquhart said.

Mr Heary wept with relief as the unanimous verdicts were handed down on Tuesday.

He was a policeman for 25 years and most recently a sergeant but was stood down from operational duties.