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Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious order, runs schools throughout Australia. The lead character in the story is Michael Evans, who in 1982 became head of Edmund Rice College, a Catholic boys high school in Wollongong.

During his years in Wollongong, Evans became its most prominent Catholic figure. Then in 1994, he committed suicide while subject to an arrest warrant on child abuse crimes.

At the Wood royal commission into policing and paedophilia a priest testifying at the commission criticised Wollongong’s Catholic Bishop William Murray and a high-ranking police officer for not acting against Evans.

It was reported that even before being appointed head of Edmund Rice College, allegations of sexual abuse had been made against Evans. The church hierarchy did not act on them. The police had also been notified, but Sergeant David Ainsworth decided not to take action. NSW Police at the time declined to prosecute Brother Evans as they were assured by the Deputy Provincial of the Christian Brothers that they were assisting Brother Evans and also providing him with counselling.

Brother Evans’s career, far from being stymied, flourished in the years that followed. He had a popular Sunday night radio program, wrote a column for the Illawarra Mercury, opened the youth refuge Eddy’s Place in 1988 and basked in the image of a man dedicated to caring for Wollongong’s youth.

On testimony before the royal commission by Bev Lawson, chief superintendent, who commented critically about Wollongong police not following up in their investigation of child sexual abuse allegations. Sergeant David Ainsworth had left messages with the bishop asking for an interview. The bishop didn’t respond, and Ainsworth decided not to pursue the matter.

It seems that, in Wollongong, leading figures in the Catholic Church and in the police were reluctant to investigate allegations of sexual abuse.