By Courtney Trenwith
Serial paedophile Dennis John McKenna has apologised for sexually abusing 11 boys at a state-run hostel, saying his high profile in the community was probably what allowed him to get away with offending for more than a decade.
McKenna is giving evidence for the first time at an inquiry established to examine the circumstances surrounding the systemic abuse at St Andrew's Hostel in Katanning, where he worked between 1957 and 1990, including as warden from 1976.
Dennis McKenna at a Deb Ball in July 1983.
He is serving his second jail term for molesting students.
Counsel assisting the inquiry Philip Urquhart opened his questioning by asking McKenna how he was able to commit so much abuse.
"I'm sorry, I don't know how I got away with it," McKenna said.
"I had a high profile in Katanning...that's all I can put it down to."
McKenna was twice named local citizen of the year and the inquiry has heard numerous complaints and suspicions were never acted on.
McKenna said he was surprised to be given the job as warden because he had no qualifications.
He was the only adult present at the hostel during the night and lived in a bedsit at the front of the boys' dormitory, having turned down the opportunity to live in a three-bedroom house some distance from the dorm.
McKenna told the inquiry the hostel was "like a big happy family".
"Parents were coming and going all the time, so I mean if they were unhappy I don't know why they couldn't say something," he said.
He told how he had a group of favourite students, which included most of the boys he abused.
McKenna agreed that favouritism was part of his grooming process.
It was also revealed McKenna expelled up to 40 students from the hostel during the 15 years, with only two of the expulsions being scrutinised by a board of teachers and parents.
McKenna denied threatening expulsion to prevent a student revealing his abuse.
He also denied ordering students to the front of the dining room and ridiculing them, allowing and encouraging other students to strip naked another boy and creating hostile nicknames for students.
He said some student were allowed to go into his bedsit at night time to watch videos but denied plying them with alcohol or showing R or X-rated movies.
Former students, including some who were not abused, had earlier told the inquiry they watched movies that were pornographic and exceptionally violent.
McKenna claimed the only time concerns were raised with him about his abuse was in 1985, when the principle told him someone had complained and that he would look into it but also that he believed the parents had an axe to grind. Nothing came of the complaint.
McKenna is currently serving a second jail term for the abuse of at least a dozen boys while he was warden at St Andrew's Hostel in Katanning.
The state government ordered an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the abuse after several claims were made that staff and other authorities, including the police and child welfare, knew of the abuse but failed to act.
The inquiry, conducted by former Supreme Court Justice Peter Blaxell, is examining what, if anything, was known at the time and the appropriateness of any action taken.
Premier Colin Barnett yesterday granted a request for additional time to conduct the inquiry, which will now run until the end of May and will report by July 18.
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