John Litton Elliot (Church of England Boys’ Society)

John Elliot was born in Brisbane in 1933 and was a former leader of the Church of England Boy’s Society (CEBS) at various times between 1956 and the early 1990s in both Queensland and Tasmania. His official title was CEBS Chief Commissioner in both states. He was also a representative on the National Council and a member of the CEBS Queensland executive. Throughout his service with CEBS in Queensland and Tasmania, John Elliot served at the following locations:

  • New Town (Tasmania - leader);

  • Sandy Bay (Tasmania - leader);

  • North Hobart (Tasmania - leader);

  • Bundaberg (Queensland - leader); and

  • St Barnabas Church - Sunnybank, Brisbane (Queensland - leader).

In 1985, John Elliot was ordained as a deacon in the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and took up a position in the ministry. On 20 December 1986, he received his Holy Orders as a priest and went on to serve/work at the following locations:

  • Christ Church in Bundaberg, Queensland (Assistant Curate);

  • St Anne’s Anglican Church in Nanango, Queensland (Priest-in-Charge and Rector); and

  • Dalby, Queensland (Rector).

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has reported in Case Study No. 36 “The response of the Church of England Boys’ Society and the Anglican Dioceses of Tasmania, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney to allegations of child sexual abuse”, that around mid-1993, the Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane at the time, Dr. Hollingworth, was made aware of allegations that John Elliot had engaged in child sexual abuse several years earlier, before he was ordained. The Royal Commission further reports that Dr Hollingworth permitted John Elliot to remain in his ministry. However, Dr Hollingworth “formally” banned John Elliot from establishing or having any close association with CEBS or with any other groups for boys.

John Elliot retired in 1998 from the Anglican Church but was still granted an Authority to Officiate by Dr Hollingworth. Subsequently, John Elliot went on to perform various casual ministry positions around the Diocese of Brisbane. In March 2001, John Elliot came under the scrutiny of Queensland Police after allegations about his past had been submitted. He contacted Bishop John Noble (who was Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Brisbane at the time) and informed him that he had been interviewed by Queensland Police in relation to the child sexual abuse allegations brought forward. On 6 November 2001, John Elliot wrote to Bishop Noble informing him that he had decided to plead guilty to all of the charges against him except the sodomy charges.

On 27 March 2002, following a guilty plea, John Elliot was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment with a 30-month non-parole period for sexual abuse offences committed against five boys, who were aged between 10 and 13 at the time of the abuse. This included 10 counts of sodomy and 18 counts of indecently dealing with boys under the age of 14. Further charges were laid against John Elliot in 2002 in relation to two other boys. John Elliot pleaded guilty to these further charges and had his non-parole period extended by six months.

Moody Law has in the past represented and is still representing clients who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse against various members of the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS).

We invite former victims to tell us confidentially what information they may have, and we will explain what options are available to help with these cases.

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