Australian Story subject sexually abused his niece, failed to pay civil damages
Christy Fenton was sexually abused by her uncle. (ABC News: Anna McGuinness)
In short:
Christy Fenton was sexually abused for a decade by her uncle, Ian Williams, who is yet to pay her $385,000 in civil damages.
An Australian Story episode featuring Williams was scrapped hours before it was due to air, after a tip-off to ABC Central Victoria.
What's next?
The ABC says "there is no need" for disciplinary action or changes to internal policy and procedure as a result of the pulled episode.
Warning: This article contains details of child sexual abuse.
Christy Fenton was in "disbelief" when she heard the man who sexually abused her for a decade was being profiled on the ABC's Australian Story program.
Ms Fenton said it was "unbelievable" that her uncle, Bendigo man Ian Williams, was still misleading people.
"That he's still getting away with it, that people still believe him," Ms Fenton said.
Ms Fenton was sexually abused for a decade by her uncle from the age of five.
She has waived her legal right to anonymity to raise awareness of the impact of sexual abuse.
Williams was convicted and sentenced in 1993 to three and a half years in jail for four charges of indecent assault and three of attempting to sexually penetrate a child.
Christy Fenton's victim impact statement to the County Court of Victoria states that the abuse forever changed her life.
"I remember as a kid just wanting to die," the statement said.
"I felt dirty and ashamed and like I was different from the other kids."
Ian Williams was featured in an Australian Story episode that was meant to air in February. (Australian Story)
The ABC first featured Williams in a Background Briefing podcast episode and article published in July last year.
It outlined his efforts to sue the National Australia Bank for $379 million after the Bendigo pensioner lost about $1,300 in a scam transaction.
Australian Story was due to profile Williams further in a half-hour episode about his life scheduled for broadcast in February.
The ABC described him as a "plucky pensioner" taking on one of Australia's big banks in a David and Goliath battle.
On February 23, the day of the scheduled broadcast, ABC Central Victoria was contacted by Williams's former landlord.
The former landlord did not wish to be publicly linked with Williams and asked to remain anonymous.
"I was lying in bed and heard the David and Goliath story had resurfaced," the former landlord said.
"I thought it was audacious of him [Williams] to present to all and sundry as this hard-done-by pensioner, when the calibre of his character is questionable."
Ian Williams and his former landlord's dispute included a concrete boat on the property. (Supplied)
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal records, supplied by the former landlord, show Williams was evicted last year from a rental property, owing more than $60,000 in unpaid rent.
The former landlord claims Williams also installed a 15m concrete yacht in the backyard, and has left belongings at the rental property.
"I regard him as a wolf in sheep's clothing," the former landlord said.
Williams told ABC Central Victoria that he stopped paying rent because of issues at the property, and claims the former landlord permitted him to store his belongings, including the yacht.
Christy's story
Williams is the younger brother of Ms Fenton's late father, and was also married to her mother's sister when the sexual abuse began in the 1970s.
Christy Fenton was sexually abused for a decade from the age of five. (Supplied: Christy Fenton)
"People trusted him; it wasn't anything for him to go chill with the kids," Ms Fenton said.
"Even if I were with my cousins or brother, he'd find a way [to sexually abuse me] — he wasn't really scared.
"They could've been asleep next to me."
Ms Fenton said she first disclosed the abuse when she became a mother at 18.
"When I had my son, I looked at him, and it just dawned on me," Ms Fenton said.
"I thought, 'How could anyone want to hurt a baby in this manner?'"
In 2019, Ms Fenton sued her uncle and was awarded just over $385,000 in a civil claim in the Victorian County Court.
Williams has never paid the damages.
He confirmed this to ABC Central Victoria and said he had hoped his NAB court action would allow him to pay his debts.
Ms Fenton did not believe that.
"He lies completely and totally like it's the truth," she said.
"He can totally make someone believe his story, even if it's completely made up.
"So all in all, you feel like you have no chance."
She was not surprised he was able to convince two of the ABC's flagship current affairs programs, Australian Story and Background Briefing, to tell his story.
The NAB declined to comment on Williams's criminal history, but the ABC understands the bank was not aware of it.
The NAB previously had apologised to Williams over its handling of the scam transaction.
Williams is not forthcoming'
Williams conceded to ABC Central Victoria that he had not told Background Briefing or Australian Story about his criminal history.
He said he did not think the historical sexual offences were relevant to their interest in his battle with NAB.
A spokesperson for the ABC said the Australian Story team did due diligence, fact-checking information and talking to Williams's friends and family about his past.
"Mr Williams was directly asked several times whether there was anything we should know that would undermine him or his story," the spokesperson said.
"He chose not to disclose these historical sex offences, and there was nothing on the digital record that went to his criminal past."
The day after Williams's former landlord came forward, ABC Central Victoria was able to access a Bendigo Magistrates' Court conviction for Ian Williams for unlawful assault in 1993.
But files relating to his historical sexual offences heard in the County Court were not digitised and had to be accessed off-site.
The ABC spokesperson said it pulled the Australian Story episode as soon as it was told of the offences, and "acted swiftly" to remove other content relating to Williams.
The ABC spokesperson said Background Briefing was aware of the rental dispute, but Australian Story was not aware of it until the day of the scheduled broadcast.
Ms Fenton said she decided to share her story with the ABC in the hope of addressing the stigma for sexual assault victims.
She said she felt judged and tarnished by the label of an abuse victim when people found out, and it had a lasting effect on her life.
"As soon as you mention child sexual abuse, people get instantly uncomfortable," she said.
"But that person didn't ask to be abused.
"Children should feel they have somewhere to go and say that they're not safe, without feeling judged or that they're going to get into trouble."
An ABC spokesperson said the ABC was "deeply concerned about the sensitive treatment of victims and survivors".
The spokesperson said the ABC would not change its policies and procedures nor sanction any staff over the scrapped episode.
"There is no reason for that to happen," they said.
"The stories on Mr Williams were based on his claims against National Australia Bank.
"The program teams investigated and thoroughly tested Mr Williams's claims and actively sought any other relevant information from him, in line with the ABC's editorial standards.
"The historical offences were not disclosed and, due to their age, were not readily accessible, especially without knowing they existed.
"When the ABC became aware of them, the response was swift."