2010 Sexual Abuse Claims
In a March 2010 interview with Woman's Day magazine, regular cast member Sarah Monahan claimed she had been molested on set during the production of the series.
Although Monahan did not initially name the cast member, in an interview on A Current Affair that aired on 24 March 2010, Monahan alleged that it was the show's lead actor, Robert Hughes, who had sexually molested her. She claimed that this occurred on several occasions during production of the series. In addition, cast member Ben Oxenbould claimed he discovered Hughes touching a different young girl, who was a guest actor on an episode, in a way that seemed inappropriate.
After Monahan named Hughes, the executive producer, Gary Reilly made a statement to the press in which he stated that he had been unaware of any misconduct towards Monahan, but that he had been aware of rumours in regard to impropriety towards a young actor who joined after Monahan's departure, and that he had acted to provide a chaperone for the actor and had confronted the accused, who later resigned from the series. Reilly said he confronted a man accused of inappropriate treatment of a young cast member hired after Monahan had left the program. In response to Reilly's claim that he was unaware, Simone Buchanan and Ben Oxenbould came forward and alleged that they had separately approached Reilly during the show about Monahan's allegations towards Hughes, but had been warned to keep quiet. In March 2011, Gary Reilly admitted that he had had "stand-up rows" with Hughes over the alleged abuse of Monahan which had driven Hughes decision to resign from the show. Monahan announced that she intended taking civil action against Hughes and television station executives.
Hughes, confronted by A Current Affair in Singapore where he was living, denied the claims.
On 29 March 2010, police announced the creation of a task force, codenamed Strike Force Ruskin, to investigate the claims. On 30 March 2010, it was reported that detectives had begun interviewing former members of the show's cast and crew. In September 2010, six months after the allegations were published, it was reported that over a hundred people had been interviewed. Hughes was arrested in London on 9 August 2012 on 11 charges relating to the sexual and indecent assault of five girls in Sydney between 1985 and 1990. On 10 August, Hughes was released on $90,000 bail to appear before an extradition hearing on 19 September which Hughes' lawyers have stated they will oppose. At that hearing, Hughes indicated that he intended to return to Australia for questioning. The matter was stood over to 28 September, when Hughes' extradition was approved.
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