FORMER rugby league star Ian Roberts told a court today how he was "terrified" that his public image would be destroyed after he learnt a teenage friend was the victim of a paedophile ring.
Roberts, who at the time had just publicly announced he was gay, said he was concerned people would link him with paedophilia because of his friendship with teenage prostitute Arron Light.
Arron was living at Roberts' Bondi home in 1996 when police informed him they were investigating a paedophile ring which allegedly abused Arron.
Roberts told Glebe Coroners Court today that the news had hit him "like a sledge hammer between my eyes''.
"I was terrified what people would think and that it would destroy me in the public arena," he added.
"Me having come out as a gay sports person one moment then to be involved in a child sexual assault case, it is always going to be situation where people of ignorance ... associated paedophiles with being gay.
"I had just come out now this happened, people are going to obviously assume it's all one and the same.
"I was very very uncomfortable about that.''
Roberts was giving evidence at an inquest into Arron's death.
The teenager disappeared in 1996 shortly before he was due to give evidence against a group of paedophiles.
His skeletal remains were found buried in a shallow grave on the banks of the Alexandria canal almost five years later.
The hearing continues.
(source:DailyTelegraph)
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