*Warning: if you are a survivor of abuse, this post may be distressing.
For
mer Hey Dad star Robert Hughes has been arrested in London and is expected to soon be charged with a number of sexual and indecent assaults on five Sydney girls.
Hughes has been released on bail but will be required to stay away from children at all times and will wear an electronic tracking device.
The prosecution alleges that Hughes sexually assaulted a number of girls, between the ages of six and sixteen. They allege that his actions included exposing his penis to them, making them touch him and vie versa.
According to news reports:
The 63-year-old, once Australia’s favourite on-screen father, was taken into custody at his London residence about 7am local time (4pm AEST) and later made a brief appearance in court.
A police source last night said Hughes was “shocked” when arrested by London Metropolitan Police and taken to Belgravia Police Station to be charged with the sex offences before appearing at the Westminster Local Court.
The charges relate to alleged offences against five girls between 1985 and 1990 in suburbs in Sydney’s north.
In March, 2010, former co-star Sarah Monahan – who played Hughes’ youngest on-screen daughter, Jenny – went public with claims he had touched her chest inappropriately and exposed himself to her several times while they worked on the show.
Actress Simone Buchanan, who played Debbie in the show, also spoke out, claiming she too had been touched inappropriately by Hughes.
While some of those associated with the show denied any knowledge of Monahan’s claims another cast member, Ben Oxenbould, corroborated the allegations.
This is a story Mamamia covered extensively back in March, 2010 when a former Hey Dad actor accused her former on-screen father of sexually abusing her. Back in 2010, Mamamia’s publisher Mia Freedman wrote the following after Sarah Monahan made her detailed allegations against Robert Hughes, relating to alleged sexual assaults:
There are so many tragic and disturbing aspects to this story it’s difficult to know how to unpack it…. Like the tragedy of this now grown-up woman telling Woman’s Day that she will never have children because she was too mentally and emotionally damaged.
The set of Hey Dad.
Or the fact that as a little girl, she was the family breadwinner – beginning filming mere weeks after her father’s sudden death…
I was also struck about how times have changed. How what has been alleged would not happen today. Not on the set of the country’s most popular TV show, potentially witnessed by dozens of cast and crew. Why did they stay silent? Why were alleged victims and their families apparently warned to keep quiet or lose their careers? When the alleged perpetrator of abuse is a TV cash cow, there are many many vested interests at play. And so it appeared to be.
It’s unquestionably true that our collective radar for inappropriate or sexually abusive behaviour is so much more finely tuned today. There is more education and more support for the victims of abuse, more encouragement for them to speak up. Some people dismiss this kind of awareness sneeringly as political correctness. I call it evolution. And a wonderful, important thing.
Sarah Monohan tweeted last night:
When allegations like these come to air, it’s easy to be consumed by a feeling of helplessness.
That is why we are encouraging Mamamia readers to leave their own personal messages of support for Sarah and the other women who were involved in these events, as well as any other survivors of sexual assault who are reading this post. Please be aware that Sarah will be reading the comments.
Bravehearts are an organisation that help the victims of child sex abuse. You can find more information about them here.
*please note: the image of Sarah and Robert Hughes was taken when she was 5 years old. It has not been photoshopped, it was a Polaroid. While some commenters have said the image makes them ‘uncomfortable’, the issue is not one to be sugar-coated. Allegations of sexual abuse of children ARE uncomfortable and we don’t believe it is neccessary – or helpful to victims – to shy away from that.
Conscious of the sensitivities around this story however, we asked Sarah if she was comfortable with us using this image in this post and she said absolutely.
Comments on this post are now closed.
59 Comments so far
Just remember that he hasn’t been found guilty of anything.
I have no reason to doubt the stories of the accusers, and he will, and should go to trial where he can defend himself.
If he’s found guilty though, I hope he gets life with the rock spiders.
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I congratulate Sarah and all the women who have had the courage to come forward and tell their stories.
And I also say bravo to Simone Buchanan and Ben Oxenbold who came forward publicly in 2010 to support Sarah. Ben, in particular, had me in tears when recounted his attempts to have Robert Hughes brought to account.
As they say, evil flourishes when good people do nothing. So bravo to Simone and Ben.
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Why the change from “comments are closed due to the legal proceedings of this case” to open comments?
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Hi Kate,
We had to close comments overnight because we find it harder to moderate at that time. While we’re all here during the day, we’ve been able to monitor the comments as we need to. We also wanted to give readers the chance to leave a message of support if they wished to.
Cheers, Jamila
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Sarah, I cannot commend you enough for all the bravery and strengh you have displayed throughout this ordeal. Not only did you live the experince, you re-lived it again when you had to fight for justice and have your intergrity questioned. Be proud of what you achieved, not only for yourself, but for many others. I look forward to justice being served and the chapter closing so that you can finally really begin the healing process. xxT
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Yes, this from me too.
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I wonder how many people realise who his wife is. I suspect that it has quite a lot to with why cast, crew and others kept silent.
Robert Hughes is married to Robyn Gardiner since 1974, who was founder (from 1982) of a Very-Big-Deal talent agency, Robyn Gardiner Management. Its clients included Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton; Anthony LaPaglia; Jodie Gordon, and practically everyone else who appeared in a Nine drama.
If you were an actor in this country, you were clamouring to get listed on the books of this agency.
In 2010, it was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange – Robyn Gardiner and her partners owned 75 per cent of the shares. It is now called RGM Artist Group and she is considered a founder and works in the acting agents team. She is not the CEO. It now represents actors, writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, voice artists, radio hosts, television presenters and corporate presenters.
Another prominent casting agent, Melbourne-based Liz Mullinar, was Gardiner’s close friend – she said in 2010 that she told his (Hughes’s) wife (Gardiner) about the many industry rumours she kept hearing, but she (Gardiner) chose to stick by him.
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Wasn’t Liz Mullinar also a victim of sexual abuse? She started a retreat for other victims/survivors of sexual abuse.
(Note, not saying she was a victim of Hughes)
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What you said sounds familiar, about Mullinar, actually.
I meant to add in my above comment that their friendship ended after Mullinar spoke to Gardiner about this. She lost her best friend.
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This goes to my question of why the industry who knew of this abuse did nothing. They are as much included in the crime by conclusion and just as culpable.
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Love and light to you Sarah – and all the other victims of sexual abuse.
xxxxxxx
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I worked for Robert Hughes wife Robyn in the 80′s,she was a lovely woman & their daughter was the same…it is her I worry for as these allegations come out,I hope for her sake that they are not true or is she a victim as well? I hope to hell she is not,as from what I understand Robyn is standing by him & she was & probably still is the same smart,intuitive,independent woman I knew & admired…This whole thing makes me feel so sick,I admire Sarah’s courage coming forward but I feel for Robyn & their daughter & what the future holds for them.Please don’t get me wrong if he is guilty let him be punished to the full extent of the law,for he is evil!
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I am soooo relieved he has been arrested and absolutely applaud Sarah for speaking out. What bravery it must have taken – and when i think back to when the story broek and the suspician and judgement she faced…. I am just so glad he has been arrested and hopefully soon charged and she and the other brave women can feel that in some small way justice has been done and their voices have been heard. I hope it gives others the courage to also speak out and more importantly, for us to HEAR as a community.
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As another victim of sexual assault at a young age I applaud your courage. I hope you find solice in the fact that he has now been caught and can hopefully never hurt another person again, something I was never able to gain. It is a horrendous thing to get over, but I know you will get there. All my love.
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My heart goes out to all those who have suffered from sexual assault. Physically and mentally, no one deserves to experience the fear, pain and humiliation of being in that situation.
Disregarding the media frenzy behind the story, the issue of sexual assault is sadly very real and should be addressed in society.
Kudos to those who speak out. One voice is heard by thousands.
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Sexual assault is abhorrent and I have nothing but immense respect and admiration for survivors who have the ability, courage and tenacity to speak out and seek justice for themselves and on behalf of others.
However in commenting on this story, I think it’s important that we remember the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’. The allegations are at this stage untested, and I’m personally uncomfortable with social media being used to virtually convict someone of a crime before they have their day in court.
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Sorry, no. In the case of suspected child abuse it should be guilty until proven innocent. The protection should be of the child not the Adult.
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Okay … so if you were INCORRECTLY accused of child abuse, you would simply want to be put in jail until they found the time to try you?
Get real, and get some empathy.
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Did I say chuck them in jail? No.
And you’re right, I have no empathy for a person accused of child molestation/sexual assault. And I’m not about to get any.
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Well, presuming the “guilty until proven innocent” was applied, one couldn’t just let that defendant roam the streets. They would have to be kept in jail until their trial. Not saying this applies here but to be wrongly accused of any crime must be awful – I think we should stick with our innocent until proven guilty. It’s not about empathy, it’s about finding the facts.
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It doesn’t matter if they are guilty or innocent, do you really want to risk them being on the streets and near or children? The answer is no you wouldn’t until they are proven innocent.
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Of course children should be protected. That was not what my post was about. For me it’s not a question of empathy, it’s one of procedural fairness. And procedural fairness entails not making comments which assume a person is guilty of an offence that they have been accused of until they have the opportunity to present a defence in court and have their guilt determined. Some very decisive comments have been posted here and that’s what I object to.
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How else do you propose to ‘protect’ children from a sexual predator, other than putting people in jail?
I don’t expect you to have empathy for people PROVEN to have molested children, I expect you to have empathy for someone who may well have been wrongly accused.
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I was sexually abused when I was 9 years old until I was 12. Nobody believed me. ‘He’ was a very popular man in my neighborhood. Finally, when I was 11, I was believed and because he was ‘innocent’ til proven guilty he once again abused me to teach me a lesson. So for all of you who expect me to have empathy? No fucking way.
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Big Red, I’m so sorry that happened to you. And you know what, if that happened to my kids and I had proof of it, I might well take things into my own hands.
I know the system let you down … how do you want to change it to be fair to people who are GENUINELY falsely accused?
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I’m not in the right frame of mind to be having an intellectual conversation about this Loop, today has been a shit day and I really shouldn’t have clicked on the link to read this ( the article, not your comments).. I need a cup of tea and a cupcake.
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Remember what we did to Lindy Chamberlin? media can play with us. But yes if guilty, disgraceful and I hope the victims can find peace once justice is done!!
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I totally agree, trial by media is ten times worse now because of the internet and social media. Let the law take it’s course the way it’s supposed to.
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Sarah – You are an incredibly strong woman to have spoken up about the abuse this man inflicted on you. Countless thousands of children are abused each year (including myself) and so often get away with it because of threats and a sick hold their abusers have on them. Good on you for finding the strength to take back that power. I sincerely hope he gets a punishment befitting of his crimes and he spends the remainder of his life incredibly miserable.
Regarding the photo used, I suspect it makes people uncomfortable because we now know what was happening and can see the anguish in an innocent child’s eyes. Child abuse is something that horrifies us and the image I guess gives us a visual none of us would ever want to see. Sadly, abused children don’t have the choice to erase images or memories…they can haunt us forever. If Sarah has approved the use of this photo, then I applaud her strength and courage even more.
To anyone who is a survivor of abuse, child or otherwise…always remember it is/was NEVER your fault, you are not alone and there is help available and people who understand. You are all incredibly strong and courageous people and worthy of good things. Xx
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My thoughts are with all abuse victims today. But I can’t help wondering if ACA would have been as keen to pursue the story if Hey Dad hadn’t screened on the Seven Network. Can we also remember that Robert Hughes still has to face the charges and must be presumed innocent at this stage?
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I was sexually abused by my swimming coach when I was between the ages of 8-10 in the late 80s early 90s. Some of the instances (hands on my chest, moving my hand to his groin) happened in rooms crowded with people. No one ever said anything. Some weeks parents would move their girls out of the swim club without any warning & without telling other parents why they had done it. It wasn’t til I plucked up the courage to tell my Mum what he had been doing to me that this man was finally exposed & removed from the swim club.
Well done Sarah for coming forward. Well done those who have backed you. Shame on those adults who stayed silent.
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Thanks for sharing, Kate X
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Wishing you well Kate…xxx
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Thanks Lucy & Mia
I try very hard to ensure that what that man did to me doesn’t limit what I will do in life or define who I am.
For that reason I don’t talk about it very often & I haven’t actually ever shared it online before.
I really did find Sarah’s bravery, in coming forward & telling the world, quite remarkable. I only share this with people once I trust them & there are still a lot of people in my life who I love, who don’t know about it.
I think that a lot of victims are silenced by shame, during the abuse & later. The man who abused me used that to his advantage for nearly 2 years.
People like Sarah are a force for good & breaking the silence. I just have so much respect for her.
(emotional afternoon – glad I have a good bottle of red in the cupboard!)
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I’ve been sexually molested by my fathers friend while my mother was upstairs in the same house. NEVER underestimate the deviousness of a paedophiles mind. They are adept at hiding in plain sight. In fact they rely on it. Sexual abuse is rife among us, we are only at the tip of the iceberg and it is acknowledged by police investigators that it is getting worse because of the Internet. It’s enabled them to swop images and videos on a scale never before seen and the appetite is increasing. I don’t know how those investigators do their job, I am in awe of them.
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My thoughts are with you at this time, Sarah. I hope your story inspires other people to be so brave. xxx
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You rock Sarah! You are a true hero for speaking up. The world needs more people like you. I wish you all the luck in the world in all your future endeavours…
Cheers
Miche @ the-labyrinth.com
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Kind of ironic that the constantly maligned ACA are the ones who gave Sarah the platform to get her story out there. I think the snobs and would-be-snobs of the journalistic clique should be eating a bit of humble pie. A round of applause for the compassion and tenacity of the ACA team and the police involved.
And a standing ovation to Sarah. Well done for exposing this piece of proverbial and getting him off the streets and away from other innocent babies. I sincerely hope it gives you some comfort and closure.
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I agree. ACA broke this story – particular kudos to Tracey Grimshaw and EP Grant Williams
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Who’d a thunk it? ACA doing some real investigative journalism.
Only took them 30 years.
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Sarah – I applaud your bravery and wish you peace and happiness in your life.
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Makes me feel sick to the stomach to think that he abused innocent girls and has managing to live his life unscathed overseas. Congratulations Sarah for leading the way for the other victims to come forward and tell their story. I’m also impressed that the Hey Dad cast also supported you publically when they too could have remained silent. Thankfully he was tracked down and hopefully he gets a very public trial and heavy sentence. Hold your head up high Sarah – we are all proud of your strength and courage.
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I agree- how could this have gone on in front of crews and producers and all the people gathered on a set. It had to have meant people turning a blind eye and it is just horrible. ‘A Star’ getting ‘special treatment’ by being able to abuse children?? You can only hope that is not the case but somehow it seems very possible.
Sarah has shown great courage and i hope the outcome brings her some peace.
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My thoughts and prayers are with Sarah and the other victims and their families. I hope and pray that the British court system properly upholds the law and that justice is served.
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Sarah, your tweet says it all. To you and all the other women involved, your strength and bravery is inspiring and we’re all behind you for what lies ahead Xxx
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Sarah – and all the other women who are involved in this case and who were mere children when the alleged offences occured – I am inspired by your bravery in coming forward and I wish you all the love and support in the world for what lies ahead.
Mia xxxxxx
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Sarah, I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve gone through but I want to wish you all the very best and all the strength in the world, for the difficult weeks and months that lie ahead as this finally goes to court. I hope that you get the justice you deserve. Xxx
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Can I suggest that you replace that photo of him with his arms around little Sarah with a photo of just him. It makes me feel ill, I can’t imagine how it makes Sarah feel.
And so happy for you Sarah that he has been charged. Well done for being brave enough to speak out.
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I completely agree that that photo is distressing to look at. It makes me feel sick and uncomfortable too. But among the many allegations against Robert Hughes there is the alleged sexual abuse of one girl who was 5 years old at the time.
We felt the image was appropriate in this instance.
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I think there’s only one person who can decide whether it’s appropriate, and that’s the little girl (Sarah). The victim pictured with this alleged predator’s arms around her.
I’m proud of your courage Sarah. May there be many bright days in your future.
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So was she asked??
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She was.
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If Sarah consented, then I am comfortable with it’s use. Perhaps that was how you should have replied to mosquitonet’s comment Mia?
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Mia – you get picked on alot! I’ve been on this blog for a while now and I’m surprised how many people have a dig at you. I like it as im a busy mum it’s easy for me to catch up on stories so thanks! x
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Glad it was with her blessing, as others have said – she’s the only one to make that choice.
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Sarah, my thoughts are with you, you are a brave and courageous individual, and I wish you all the best.
I also find this image completely inappropriate. Your readers can clearly read about the atrocities he committed. Why sensationalise it with that image, I would like to think that Mamamia is classier than feeling the need to use tabloid tactics.
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I hope you’ve read now that Sarah actually gave her consent for the photo to be used. If she is fine with it, then everyone else should be.
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If Sarah has okay’d use of the photo, it’s awesome to use it: the fact that it’s disturbing to look at is good because it brings ‘the idea of a man in power abusing someone without power’ to the forefront of people’s minds.
For so long, he got away with it; now, the photo is a symbol of ‘how’ someone like him (or any pedo) can do that and get away with it. (And some people didn’t believe her! That’s what these guys count on.) Hopefully, in the future, no child will suffer through that. Ever!
(Said with the deepest respect for Sarah.)
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored ~ Aldous Huxley
http://the-labyrinth.com/
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Sarah, I can not even begin to imagine what you’ve been through. My thoughts are with you – and I hope that in some way, you can begin to get some closure. xxx
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