Brother John (Kostka) Chute (Marist Brothers)

Early Teaching Career

Brother John (Kostka) Chute was a member of the Marist Brothers who taught at numerous Catholic schools in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory during his teaching career.

His known appointments included:

• St Anne's Primary School, Bondi (1961–1962)

• St Joseph's School (later St Carthage's), Lismore (1967–1969) – Principal

• Marist College Penshurst (1969–1972) – Principal of the primary school

• Marcellin Junior College, Coogee (1973)

• Marist Brothers Parramatta (1975) – Principal

• Marist College Canberra (1976 and 1983–1989)

Sexual Abuse at St Anne's Primary School

Three former students later alleged that Brother Chute sexually abused them while they attended St Anne's Primary School, Bondi, between 1961 and 1962. The Marist Brothers accepted that these boys had been sexually abused by Brother Chute.

During 1962, teacher Brother Walter Cranney and Community Superior Brother Des Phillips became aware that Brother Chute had admitted sexually abusing a child at the school.

Despite the Marist Brothers' reporting requirements at the time, Brother Phillips failed to inform the Provincial of Brother Chute's admission. No written record was created, no investigation followed, and no action was taken to protect other children from further abuse.

Abuse at Lismore

In 1967, Brother Chute was transferred to St Joseph's School, Lismore (later St Carthage's), where he became principal of the primary school.

A former student later complained that Brother Chute had sexually abused him during 1967. Brother Chute admitted the abuse.

On 19 July 1969, the Marist Brothers Provincial Council, chaired by Brother Othmar Weldon, issued Brother Chute with a canonical warning after he admitted that he had "inappropriately sexually touched" a child at the school.

Promotion Despite Known Abuse

Rather than removing Brother Chute permanently from positions involving children, the Marist Brothers transferred him to Marist College Penshurst in 1969, where he became principal of the primary school.

Brother Weldon and his successor as Provincial, Brother Alman Dwyer, were aware of Brother Chute's admission and canonical warning. Despite this knowledge, Brother Chute continued to receive appointments involving responsibility for children.

Following his time at Penshurst, he was appointed to:

• Marcellin Junior College, Coogee (1973)

• Principal, Marist Brothers Parramatta (1975)

• Marist College Canberra (from 1976)

The Royal Commission found that successive Provincials were not informed of Brother Chute's admissions or canonical warning because no proper records were maintained.

Further Allegations at Marist College Canberra

While teaching at Marist College Canberra, Brother Chute continued to have access to children.

In 1986, Headmaster Brother Terence Heinrich received a complaint from the parents of a student alleging that Brother Chute had touched their son's penis during a film night.

Brother Heinrich informed Provincial Brother Alman Dwyer of the allegation but was not told that Brother Chute had already received a canonical warning for child sexual abuse years earlier.

No effective action was taken.

Brother Chute remained at Marist College Canberra between 1983 and 1989, serving as Assistant Religious Education Coordinator while continuing to teach students.

Complaints in 1993

In 1993, former student Damian De Marco reported that Brother Chute had sexually abused him in 1981.

The complaint was referred to the Marist Brothers Provincial, Brother Alexis Turton.

A second complaint soon followed from another former student, who alleged that Brother Chute had rubbed against him, hugged him and behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner while the two were alone in a small room.

These complaints demonstrated that Brother Chute continued to have unsupervised access to children despite earlier admissions and allegations.

Following these complaints, Brother Chute was finally removed from teaching.

Criminal Conviction

In 2008, Brother John Chute pleaded guilty and was convicted of 19 child sexual offences committed against six former students between 1985 and 1989.

Royal Commission Findings

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse found that the Marist Brothers repeatedly failed to protect children from Brother Chute.

Among its findings were that:

• senior Marist Brothers knew as early as 1962 that Brother Chute had admitted sexually abusing a child;

• the admission was not properly reported or recorded;

• Brother Chute received only a canonical warning after admitting abuse in 1969;

• despite this, he was repeatedly promoted to senior teaching and leadership positions;

• further complaints were not properly acted upon;

• no allegations of child sexual abuse involving Brother Chute were reported to police between 1962 and 1993; and

• the Marist Brothers kept no comprehensive written record of the accumulating allegations against him.

Number of Victims

After Brother Chute was removed from teaching in 1993, the Marist Brothers received complaints from 48 former students alleging they had been sexually abused by him as children.

Of those complainants, 40 were former students of Marist College Canberra, illustrating the scale of the abuse that occurred after Church authorities had already become aware of earlier admissions and allegations.