Brother Francis William Cable — Brother Romuald

A Marist Brother who sexually abused boys and was later employed as a lay teacher

For many years, Marist Brother Francis William Cable, also known as Brother Romuald or “Rom” Cable, sexually abused boys in Catholic schools and institutions in New South Wales.

The abuse eventually led to criminal convictions involving 24 victims. Cable was sentenced to a maximum of 16 years' imprisonment in 2015, followed by an additional six-year sentence in 2019 after he pleaded guilty to further offences.

The police investigation began after former students independently approached the New South Wales Police. Investigators subsequently located additional victims.

Early life and training

Francis William Cable was born on 3 May 1932.

As a child, he attended a Marist Brothers school and was subsequently selected for training as a Marist Brother.

In 1952, Cable was one of 23 young men who took their first vows at the Marist Brothers' training institution at Mittagong, south-west of Sydney. Two other members of this group, Brother Kostka Chute and Brother Oswald MacNamara, also later became convicted offenders.

After taking his vows, Cable was given the religious name Brother Romuald, following the Marist practice at the time of giving new Brothers a religious name.

St Vincent's Boys Home, Westmead

One of Cable's early assignments was at St Vincent's Boys Home at Westmead, a Marist-operated boys' institution in western Sydney.

Research indicates that Cable worked there during the late 1950s. It has been alleged that he targeted boys at the home, although the supplied material does not establish whether any former residents of St Vincent's have subsequently reported allegations to police.

Teaching in Marist schools

During the 1960s and 1970s, Cable worked at a number of Marist Brothers schools in New South Wales.

The schools identified in the supplied material include:

• Marist Brothers Maitland — early 1960s

• Marist Brothers Parramatta — during the 1960s, before his transfer to Pagewood

• Marist Brothers Pagewood, Sydney

• Marist Brothers Kogarah — from 1968 into the 1970s

• Marist Brothers Dundas — mid-1970s

Former students from schools in Sydney and the Maitland-Newcastle region later provided evidence about Cable's sexual offending.

According to allegations presented during the criminal proceedings, boys were assaulted in a number of settings, including Cable's office, behind his desk while other students were nearby, on excursions and at a local swimming pool.

The prosecution alleged that offences occurred at Marist schools at Hamilton, Maitland and Pagewood between 1960 and 1974, as well as incidents of buggery during the 1960s.

Abuse allegations emerge decades later

Some former students eventually contacted the New South Wales Police rather than reporting their experiences solely to Church authorities.

The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Newcastle area, including Detective Simon Grob of the Newcastle Detectives Office.

The first charges were filed in January 2013.

2013: The police investigation expands

On 29 January 2013, Cable appeared in Newcastle Local Court. The initial charges involved two alleged victims.

As detectives continued their investigation, the number of charges and alleged victims increased rapidly.

By 13 March 2013, there were 33 charges involving 12 alleged victims.

On 3 July 2013, the prosecution told the court that a further 13 charges would be laid, bringing the total to 46 charges.

By 13 November 2013, Cable was facing 60 alleged offences involving 22 boys.

The continuing court proceedings received coverage in the Newcastle Herald, prompting additional former students, particularly from the Newcastle-Maitland region, to contact police.

Evidence from former students

Statements presented to Newcastle Local Court in 2013 contained allegations that Cable sexually assaulted boys after calling them out of class or instructing them to remain behind after lessons.

One former student alleged that Cable assaulted him during a supposed sex education lesson when the boy was 13.

Another former student alleged that Cable assaulted him behind his desk after calling him to the front of the classroom.

The supplied material records that some victims did not report the abuse at the time because of difficult family circumstances and the prevailing reluctance of children to challenge authority figures.

Committed for trial

By January 2014, Cable indicated that he intended to plead not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Robert Stone subsequently committed him for trial on more than 50 charges involving 21 victims.

The case was transferred to the New South Wales District Court in Sydney.

2015: Jury trial and guilty pleas

The prosecution involved 21 victims. The defence sought separate juries for each victim, but the court ultimately decided that three juries would hear groups of the cases.

The first trial began in March 2015.

On 17 March 2015, the first jury found Cable guilty of 13 indecent assault and buggery charges involving two students.

Two days later, on 19 March 2015, Cable pleaded guilty to offences against a further 17 students. Consequently, the remaining jury trials were not required.

Cable was remanded in custody while awaiting sentence.

Victim impact statements

On 12 June 2015, sentencing proceedings began at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney.

Cable's defence barrister told the court that Cable was making no submission of remorse.

Victims were able to provide written statements describing the impact of the abuse on their lives.

During the proceedings, the court heard accounts of alcoholism, emotional distress and the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse.

One victim described turning to alcohol to cope with memories of the abuse.

Another victim, who had been abused at the age of 13 following the sudden death of his father, described continuing difficulties with impatience, intolerance and perfectionism.

The court also heard allegations concerning father-and-son camps conducted by Cable.

Sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment

On 18 June 2015, Judge Peter Whitford sentenced Cable.

The judge described Cable's offending as “abhorrent” and “cruel” and said that he had engaged in a course of predatory conduct over a number of years.

Judge Whitford also noted that Cable showed little concern about being detected and had failed to understand the damage caused to his victims.

Cable was sentenced to a maximum of 16 years' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight years.

The sentence was calculated under the laws applicable at the time the offences were committed, when penalties for child sexual abuse were substantially lighter than those available under later legislation.

Police continue the investigation

Cable's imprisonment did not end the police investigation.

Detectives continued to investigate allegations from additional former students. Further charges were eventually brought in relation to five additional victims.

The offences involved in these later proceedings occurred in the Newcastle region between 1971 and 1974.

2019: Additional guilty pleas and sentence

In October 2018, Cable appeared in Newcastle District Court and pleaded guilty to offences involving the five additional victims.

Before his sentencing in March 2019, two of the victims provided impact statements describing the continuing consequences of the abuse.

Judge Roy Ellis sentenced Cable to an additional six years' imprisonment, with the sentence suspended after he had served three years.

Employment as a lay teacher in Canberra

Cable left the Marist Brothers at about 1978.

Despite his previous career as a Marist Brother, he subsequently obtained employment as a lay teacher with the Christian Brothers.

He worked at St Edmund's Christian Brothers College in Canberra, where he was known as “Mr Rom Cable”.

According to the supplied material, he remained at St Edmund's for approximately ten years and retired in 1989.

A former student later recalled Cable as a teacher during the 1980s and described witnessing bullying and cruelty towards students.

The wider pattern

Cable's history illustrates how a person who had occupied a position of authority within a religious order could subsequently continue working with children after leaving that order.

His known assignments included a boys' home and several Catholic schools. His criminal prosecution decades later resulted in convictions and guilty pleas involving numerous former students.

The case also demonstrates the importance of former students being able to report historical abuse directly to police. The investigation expanded substantially after victims came forward independently, enabling detectives to identify additional victims and bring further charges.

Schools and institutions associated with Cable

The supplied research identifies the following institutions as places where Cable worked:

• St Vincent's Boys Home, Westmead — late 1950s

• Marist Brothers Maitland — early 1960s

• Marist Brothers Parramatta — 1960s

• Marist Brothers Pagewood — Sydney

• Marist Brothers Kogarah — 1968 into the 1970s

• Marist Brothers Dundas — mid-1970s

• St Edmund's Christian Brothers College, Canberra — approximately 1978–1989

The list is not necessarily complete.

Important identification note

Brother Romuald Cable should not be confused with another Australian Marist Brother who was also given the religious name Romuald.

At the time of Cable's membership, the Australian Marist Brothers were divided into northern and southern provinces. Cable belonged to the northern province, which covered New South Wales and Queensland.

The supplied material notes that the two provinces subsequently became one Australia-wide province.

Criminal justice outcome

Francis William Cable (Brother Romuald) was convicted in 2015 of multiple sexual offences against boys and pleaded guilty in 2015 to further offences involving 17 students. In 2018 he pleaded guilty to additional offences involving five victims and was sentenced to a further six years' imprisonment in 2019.