One question remains constant throughout the past week of Commission of Inquiry evidence: why wasn't James Geoffrey Griffin stopped from having access to children?
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Victim by victim, witness by witness, the full sequence of events spanning 18 years has been pieced together.
He was able to allegedly offend throughout this time, capitalising on the complete incapacity of the Tasmanian health, child protection and justice systems to put together even the most basic of linking information. Counsel assisting Elizabeth Bennett SC, during questioning, highlighted how much of his offending could still be concealed.
But there were still more than a dozen clear opportunities for him to be stopped, had people in authority acted.
Some of those moments defy belief.
SEPTEMBER 2000
A man buys a computer from student nurse James Geoffrey Griffin in 1999, and connects it in 2000. He finds alleged child exploitation material and links to child pornography websites. He makes a complaint to Tasmania Police.
FEBRUARY 2001
Griffin starts working at the LGH as a registered nurse.
MARCH 2001
The man sends a follow-up email to Tasmania Police about the material he found on the computer, fearing that Griffin could be working with children. He receives no response.
SEPTEMBER 2001
Griffin starts working on the LGH paediatric ward, 4K. He had been a volunteer with the ambulance service, and continued his volunteer work with local netball clubs as a masseuse and sports trainer.
2004
Griffin receives his first warning for a boundary breach for inappropriate hugging of an adolescent patient. He is asked not to repeat it. The Commission of Inquiry is unaware if this is the first such breach.
2005
Griffin is seen kissing an 11-year-old patient on the forehead, described as a "wet kiss". Griffin is confronted about his conduct, but claims this was to establish a level of friendship with the patient.
NOVEMBER 2005
Griffin is given an "outcome letter" regarding his conduct and is directed to have further discussion about associations, care provision, boundaries related to gender issues and the workplace. This is combined with the 2004 outcome, and forwarded to HR.
Griffin remains on ward 4K.
SOME TIME IN 2004-08
Royal Hobart Hospital nursing and midwifery director Sue McBeath claims that then-LGH chief executive Stephen Ayre said he had been contacted by police as part of an investigation regarding Griffin at this time. She claims he said this during a conversation in 2021. Dr Ayre denies this.
Dr Ayre had a "medical incident" while giving evidence on Friday.
JANUARY 2009
A boundary breach is identified when Griffin offers to stay overnight with a young female patient against her care plan.
JANUARY 2009
Griffin is seen cuddling a preteen girl in a recliner chair on ward 4K.
JANUARY 2009
There are documented reports that Griffin had given his phone number to a young girl and told her to contact him outside of the hospital.
FEBRUARY 2009
Griffin was asked, and intended to, give away a former patient at a wedding, he was told by hospital management that this was inappropriate. He was invited to contribute to a new policy on professional boundaries.
MARCH 2009
Tasmania Police received a report Griffin had allegedly taken upskirt photographs of young girls while he was working as a medic on the Spirit of Tasmania. Griffin declined an interview, and the matter was filed for intelligence with no charges laid. There is no record of a notification from police to the LGH.
APRIL 2009
Griffin counselled on professional boundaries regarding inappropriate conduct after deviating a patient's careplan.
MAY 2009
Griffin told to stop sending emails to former patients.
MID-2009
A doctor complains about Griffin undermining a patient's treatment by coming off leave to comfort her, and gave phone number to her. He was again counselled on professional boundaries and warned that a similar complaint in the future would result in a complaint to the Nursing Board.
NOVEMBER 2009
A mother of a patient tells 4K nurse unit manager Sonja Leonard: "you've got men working here looking after children, bad things happen, we all know that", and that Griffin was a "womaniser and a sleaze". Ms Leonard does not believe this directly relates to Griffin, but just generally.
MARCH 2011
Kylee Pearn begins working as a social worker at the LGH. She soon notices Griffin working in ward 4K. She alleges he sexually abused her as a child. Ms Pearn and her manager Stewart Millar meet with the LGH HR - they both say HR consultant Luigino Fratangelo is at the meeting, taking notes. She discloses her alleged abuse and her concerns about Griffin working with children. Mr Fratangelo says he cannot recall the meeting, no file note was made.
Griffin keeps working with children on ward 4K.
2011
A school makes a notification after receiving a disclosure from two parents alleging child abuse committed by Griffin. Child Safety did not disclose information about the notifier to police.
2013
A patient's mother requests that Griffin not be allowed to visit her child. A family member receives a call from the LGH questioning this request. Griffin is counselled about alleged breach of patient confidentiality, warned of future disciplinary action.
MAY 2013
A concerned adult and a mental health practitioner make a notification to Child Safety about Griffin's inappropriate conduct regarding Tiffany Skeggs, who later made allegations that Griffin persistently sexually abused her, resulting in his 2019 charges. The 2009 matter regarding the Spirit of Tasmania was on the file, but not looked into by Child Safety. Both Griffin and Ms Skeggs were told to be careful about how their behaviour could be misinterpreted, no further action taken.
MARCH 2015
Tasmania Police receive "credible information" that Griffin was allegedly discussing child abuse and exploitation online. The source provided more information in April 2015. Counsel assisting Elizabeth Bennett SC says it appears this information was not accessed by police.
2015
Concern raised that Griffin was overstepping boundaries with a psychiatric patient at the LGH. He was directed not to sit on patients' beds or hug them.
2015
Griffin gave his phone number to patient Kirsty Neilley, aged 16 at the time, after another nurse reported he was inappropriately contacting her on Facebook. Griffin was kept as her nurse throughout two admissions to the LGH despite the complaint, and continued to contact Ms Neilley after she was discharged.
MARCH 2017
A boundary violation is raised via the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service regarding a young female patient's concern about being called "baby" and "sweetheart" by Griffin. Ms Leonard says this behaviour was typical of Griffin's conduct on the ward, including a tendency to hug child patients. She seeks guidance from HR, resulting in another professional boundaries direction to Griffin.
This was the third written warning to Griffin about professional boundaries, each threatening and escalation in action if it continued. No escalation occurs, including no contact to medical regulators such as AHPRA.
He keeps working with children.
AUGUST 2017
Nurse Will Gordon - who worked alongside Griffin on 4K - is told by a group of female patients, 14, that Griffin had given them advice on what boys like, and comment is made about how Griffin says he wants to "shag" a nurse who he calls "titsy". Mr Gordon makes a complaint on the LGH incident management system, SRLS. Ms Leonard seeks advice from HR, the claim is put to Griffin, the girls are not interviewed and Mr Gordon is not asked about Griffin's response. The claims are found to be "unsubstantiated", and not combined with other previous complaints.
MAY 2019
Tiffany Skeggs reports her abuse to Tasmania Police. Police access the information from 2015, allegedly containing child exploitation material.
JULY 2019
Police carry out a search warrant, seizing Griffin's electronic devices. Child exploitation material is allegedly found. He is made aware he is under investigation. His Working with Vulnerable Children is revoked and he is suspended with pay from working as a nurse.
Griffin arrives at the LGH to work an evening shift, is met by senior management and security, escorted from the premises.
OCTOBER 2019
Griffin is arrested and interviewed. More alleged victims - including Kylee Pearn - are interviewed as part of the investigation. Keelie McMahon also gave evidence to police of her alleged abuse from age 14. Griffin is charged with eight counts of indecent assault, one count of sexual intercourse with a young person, three child exploitation material offences.
He takes his own life 15 days after being released on bail.
Victim-survivors say this is where their contact with police and the LGH ends. One describes it as "radio silence".
AFTER HIS DEATH:
NOVEMBER 2019
Staff meet with management to discuss concerns. Mr Gordon asks about his 2017 complaint, but director of clinical services Peter Renshaw denies knowledge of it. He is contradicted by another senior manager. Nurses feel like managers blame them for not reporting Griffin to AHPRA.
Mr Gordon then makes a complaint to the Integrity Commission regarding the handling of his 2017 complaint. This is referred back to Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks.
DECEMBER 2019
Nurses' union, ANMF, writes to hospital CEO Eric Daniels requesting investigation into past handling of Griffin complaints. Mr Daniels responds that "we are satisfied that all the matters on file were appropriately and reasonably addressed with Mr Griffin", and that "there is no evidence to suggest that unaddressed complaints exist".
This was based on HR advice. HR had failed to record the 2011 abuse disclosure. Senior managers are unaware of this 2011 disclosure until evidence is heard in the Commission of Inquiry.
This is the only level of investigation carried out by the Tasmanian Health Service.
EARLY 2020
Mr Gordon writes to Health Minister Sarah Courtney about a lack of action regarding Griffin, and the need to make the story public. This letter is also referred back to Ms Morgan-Wicks.
2020
Mr Gordon seeks out a journalist to make the Griffin story public. He contacts mainland journalist Camille Bianchi, who compiles a range of victim and witness accounts.
OCTOBER 2020
'The Nurse' podcast is released by Ms Bianchi.
ANMF holds debrief meeting with nurses, Ms Morgan-Wicks and Ms Leonard. Mr Gordon states his belief that a royal commission - or commission of inquiry - should be called. He claims Ms Morgan-Wicks is reluctant to discuss it.
NOVEMBER 2020
Former premier Peter Gutwein announces the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's responses to child sexual abuse in institutional settings.
Sexual assault support services:
- Sexual Assault Support Service (Tasmania): 1800 697 877
- Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
- Tasmania's Victims of Crime Service: 1300 300 238
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