Bob Montgomery (psychologist) explained

Bob Montgomery is a prominent Australian former psychologist who was imprisoned for sexually abusing boys.

Career

Montgomery was a scoutmaster until 1965 when Scouts New South Wales ended his membership due to concerns raised by parents. He was a psychiatric inpatient for several months afterwards. He then studied psychology at the University of Sydney while working as a schoolteacher.[1]

In 1972, he moved to Melbourne and helped establish the psychology department at La Trobe University, where he ran a sex therapy clinic which was equipped with a double bed for research purposes. His lectures included lengthy footage of couples having sex, and students were made to replicate the controversial Milgram experiment. After failing to become head of department, he left the university to run a private practice. In 1994, he became head of the psychology department at Bond University after being recruited by criminologist Paul Wilson, who was later convicted of child sex offences.[2]

Montgomery often appeared on radio and television, including as a guest expert on the first season of Big Brother Australia.[3] He was president of the Australian Psychological Society from about 2008 to 2010.[4] As a private consultant, he prepared reports for the Family Court about whether allegations of sexual abuse raised during child custody disputes were credible.[5] He also assessed the risk of paedophiles molesting children who were under the care of the Queensland Government.

Arrest and conviction

Montgomery was arrested in January 2019 for offences he committed in the 1960s in the Sydney suburbs of Edgecliff and Marrickville. The victims were three 12-year-old boys in his scout troop, and a student at a high school where he taught. Montgomery pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and buggery. In December 2020, he was sentenced to four years' jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.[6] [7] The judge took into account that Montgomery has dementia and is expected to live about four more years.[8] Montgomery and his wife, fellow psychologist Laurel Morris, were living at Runaway Bay on Queensland's Gold Coast at the time of his arrest. He was 76 years old.

Bibliography

(co-authored with Laurel Morris)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Unmasking Monsters . Robertson . Josh . 11 July 2021 . Background Briefing . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 July 2021.
  2. Web site: La Trobe 'torture' study anguish . Elliott . Tim . 26 April 2012 . The Age . Melbourne . Nine Entertainment Co . 10 August 2021.
  3. Web site: Psychologist was not a Big Brother consultant . Knox . David . 4 June 2020 . TV Tonight . 11 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Australian Psychological Society under fire for 'disturbing' response to Bob Montgomery child sex prosecution . Robertson . Josh . Davoren . Heidi . 10 June 2020 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Family Court report writer and former Big Brother psychologist, Bob Montgomery, pleads guilty to child sex abuse . Davoren . Heidi . Robertson . Josh . 10 June 2020 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 July 2021.
  6. Web site: Former Sydney Scoutmaster in court over child sex assault charges . Clun . Rachel, with Australian Associated Press . 31 January 2019 . The Sydney Morning Herald . Nine Entertainment Co . 11 July 2021.
  7. Web site: Former Big Brother psychologist Robert Montgomery jailed for child abuse. Zemek . Steve . 7 December 2020 . News.com.au . News Corp Australia . 11 July 2021.
  8. Web site: Bob Montgomery sentenced to four years in prison for historic child sex offences . Carmody . James . 7 December 2020 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 July 2021.
  9. Book: Living With Anxiety . 7 August 2001 . Open Library . Internet Archive . 9781555613068 . 8574570M . 12 July 2021.
  10. Book: Surviving: Coping with a Life Crisis . 2000 . Open Library . Internet Archive . 9781555612399 . 50446M . 12 July 2021.
  11. Book: Your Good Health . August 1995 . Open Library . Internet Archive . 9780850914115 . 11595172M . 12 July 2021.
  12. Web site: Catalogue: Successful sex / Bob Montgomery, Laurel Morris . National Library of Australia . 26 December 2022.
  13. Book: Getting on with the Oldies . 14 December 1990 . Open Library . Internet Archive . 9780850913156 . 11595164M . 12 July 2021.
  14. Book: Getting on with Your Teenagers . 14 December 1990 . Open Library . Internet Archive . 9780850913149 . 9403761M . 12 July 2021.

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