# X - The Reynolds Victim Survivor

An episode of [Badge of Betrayal](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1852919243), 24 Mar 2026, 26 min.

Audio: https://p.podderapp.com/2544644999/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/fbab9570-a7a3-4fd4-a673-b3940044b1b8/de023887-0fca-455e-bc83-b41700559aae/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=2f1fa4b5-119b-41b5-8749-b3940044b5a4

********Trigger and Content Warning******* This episode contains discussions of alleged abuse, addiction, and trauma. it also contains strong language. Listener discretion is advised. If this episode raises anything for you, support services are listed in the show notes. He doesn’t want you to know his name. But he wants you to hear his story. In this episode, we speak to a man we’re calling X a former schoolboy, now an adult still carrying the weight of what he says happened to him decades ago. What begins as a story about football… about mentorship… about a trusted figure in a young boy’s life… slowly unravels into something far darker. X describes a relationship he says started with trust, encouragement, and validation — before shifting into behaviour he now understands as grooming. At the time, he says he didn’t question it. He couldn’t. Because this was someone in a position of power. Someone respected. Someone he believed was helping him. Now, speaking from a rehab facility where he’s trying to rebuild his life, X opens up about the long-term impact the addiction, the mental health struggles, and the years of confusion, shame, and silence. He also shares why he’s speaking now… and what he believes others may still be holding onto. If this episode is triggering, please pause and seek support. • Lifeline: 13 11 14 — https://www.lifeline.org.au • Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 — https://kidshelpline.com.au • 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 — https://www.1800respect.org.au If you have information that you would like to share, email us anonymously at podshape@proton.me See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

[0:05] Speaker 1: Apoche Production. A warning before we get started. This interview
[0:12] Speaker 1: is raw and emotional. It speaks of allegations of child
[0:16] Speaker 1: sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and we've tried to
[0:19] Speaker 1: handle it in a trauma-informed way. Please take care while listening.
[0:24] Speaker 1: There is help if you need it in the show notes.
[0:31] Speaker 1: In this episode, I'm speaking with a person that doesn't
[0:34] Speaker 1: want to be identified as It will be clear why
[0:37] Speaker 1: that is when we get started. We've changed his name
[0:41] Speaker 1: and altered his voice. I know that sometimes voice altering
[0:46] Speaker 1: is annoying for some listeners, but in this instance, using
[0:49] Speaker 1: an altered voice captures the emotion, how this man feels
[0:53] Speaker 1: decades after his abuse. Before we get started, I want
[0:56] Speaker 1: to make sure that you're okay. We're recording this call
[0:59] Speaker 1: and that I will be using some of it in
[1:02] Speaker 1: the podcast Badger Betrayal.
[1:04] Speaker 2: Yes, no worries.
[1:05] Speaker 1: Okay, cool. I'm speaking to this person that we're calling
[1:08] Speaker 1: X at a rehab centre in an unnamed location. They're
[1:13] Speaker 1: there for drug and alcohol abuse. He believes it stems
[1:18] Speaker 1: from the abuse he suffered at the hands of Paul Reynolds.
[1:22] Speaker 1: Tell me about your childhood. Tell me what sort of
[1:25] Speaker 1: kid you were.
[1:25] Speaker 2: Yeah, I was a fairly ambitious kid and I was,
[1:31] Speaker 2: you know, I had zest for life and pretty okay childhood.
[1:36] Speaker 2: My childhood was, you know, I had the roof over
[1:38] Speaker 2: my head. Dad worked extremely hard. You know, mum was
[1:41] Speaker 2: one of those traditional sort of, you know, she worked
[1:44] Speaker 2: odd jobs and she would give the shirt off her back,
[1:46] Speaker 2: but she was sort of more looking after the, or
[1:48] Speaker 2: predominantly looking after the kids, dinner on the table, et cetera.
[1:52] Speaker 2: And dad was sort of working tirelessly to accommodate.
[1:56] Speaker 1: Grew up in Tassie?
[1:58] Speaker 2: Grew up in Tassie, mate, yeah.
[2:00] Speaker 1: And footy, AFL, was a big part of your life?
[2:04] Speaker 2: Oh, yeah. One-eyed, hesitant supporter and love AFL, played club footy,
[2:08] Speaker 2: won a best in Paris at multiple clubs and association
[2:12] Speaker 2: best in Paris. And, you know, I was an aspiring
[2:14] Speaker 2: young footballer. Yeah.
[2:16] Speaker 1: Was that the dream? Oh, mate.
[2:18] Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's everyone's dream until you sort of
[2:21] Speaker 2: later in life, you know, just footy pay your wages.
[2:24] Speaker 2: And it's hard getting there, but twice as hard staying there. Yeah.
[2:28] Speaker 1: What did you like about that football environment as a kid?
[2:32] Speaker 2: Look, the camaraderie, I think, the banter, you know, it
[2:36] Speaker 2: was a bit of an escape, really. You're doing something
[2:38] Speaker 2: you love. It's a healthy distraction. You're contributing to, obviously,
[2:42] Speaker 2: your overall health and fitness and wellbeing. And to me,
[2:46] Speaker 2: that was exercise and a way of, you know, coping
[2:48] Speaker 2: and dealing with the demands of life.
[2:53] Speaker 1: Person X went to St Pat's. St Pat's is St
[2:58] Speaker 1: Patrick's College, based in Launceston. It has a rich history
[3:02] Speaker 1: that dates back to 1873. Now, we don't allege St
[3:06] Speaker 1: Patrick's College knew of Reynolds' offending. From records and as
[3:10] Speaker 1: reported in the Examiner on the 23rd of February 2026
[3:14] Speaker 1: by Owen Sinclair, Reynolds worked in a voluntary capacity. He
[3:19] Speaker 1: was the coach of the St Patrick's College football team
[3:23] Speaker 1: from 2005 to 2009. He was also the chair of
[3:24] Speaker 1: the school board between 2010 and and 2011. And Reynolds
[3:33] Speaker 1: was a member of the Governing Council from 2013 to 2017.
[3:36] Speaker 1: Some facts. Oh, look, you know.
[3:39] Speaker 2: Back then, wouldn't it be easy to, you know, be
[3:44] Speaker 2: a kid again and, you know, all you had really
[3:47] Speaker 2: was homework back then and you lived for free periods
[3:49] Speaker 2: and socialising and all your friends were there and it's
[3:52] Speaker 2: a bit of a boys' club and there was good
[3:54] Speaker 2: times and there was bad times. We were sort of
[3:57] Speaker 2: the lower echelon. of schools as well. You know, obviously
[4:01] Speaker 2: third to a bit of rivalry, I guess. Healthy and
[4:05] Speaker 2: unhealthy at times, those prestigious schools, being Grammar and Scotts
[4:09] Speaker 2: Oakburn College.
[4:10] Speaker 1: And footy played a big part of St. Pat's, right?
[4:13] Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, footy was the way of life. You know,
[4:17] Speaker 2: I think that's all that really mattered. Footy, socialising, you know, parties. Yeah,
[4:22] Speaker 2: that was a big part of it all.
[4:24] Speaker 1: When did you meet Paul Reynolds?
[4:27] Speaker 2: When I was about 14 years of age.
[4:29] Speaker 1: What was Reynolds doing at that stage?
[4:32] Speaker 2: At that stage, he was kind of a fringe dweller.
[4:35] Speaker 2: And what I mean by that, he was kind of,
[4:38] Speaker 2: getting to know us lads, boys, getting to sort of
[4:42] Speaker 2: know us a little bit more, doing his homework on us,
[4:46] Speaker 2: knowing certain things about us. And, you know, I would
[4:49] Speaker 2: think as a young fella, oh, wow, this older bloke
[4:51] Speaker 2: sort of just takes an interest in my life. You know,
[4:55] Speaker 2: sort of back then, I guess it was kind of flattering.
[4:59] Speaker 2: Like I said, sorry, I'm about to cut out, mate.
[5:02] Speaker 2: Can I answer this in my room?
[5:04] Speaker 1: Yeah, no stress, no stress, no stress. We'll just hold.
[5:06] Speaker 1: At this stage of our chat, X has arrived back
[5:09] Speaker 1: at his accommodation and so we hung up and I
[5:12] Speaker 1: called back around 10 minutes later. He told me that
[5:15] Speaker 1: he'd spent the last three weeks in the centre. In
[5:18] Speaker 1: his words, it was an effort to get himself cleaned
[5:20] Speaker 1: up and try to get his head right.
[5:23] Speaker 2: G'day, mate. You got me?
[5:24] Speaker 1: Yeah, got you fine, mate.
[5:26] Speaker 3: I'm a lot more.
[5:27] Speaker 2: I'm having a cigarette, mate, so I'm all yours now.
[5:29] Speaker 2: I'll put anything to just sort of, like I said,
[5:31] Speaker 2: feel better and it's time to just deal with my
[5:34] Speaker 2: shit rather than fucking suppress it.
[5:37] Speaker 1: What was your first impressions of Reynolds when you met him?
[5:40] Speaker 2: Just charismatic. You know, he's sort of charming, convincing. Like
[5:45] Speaker 2: he was able to just get you to do things
[5:48] Speaker 2: that you just normally wouldn't do. Just, I guess, due
[5:51] Speaker 2: to his status, you know, like his social status.
[5:54] Speaker 3: Yeah.
[5:55] Speaker 1: And you knew he was a cop?
[5:57] Speaker 2: Yeah, you did. Like, he used it as a bit
[5:59] Speaker 2: of clout and leverage. I think everyone did. It was
[6:02] Speaker 2: common knowledge, you know. Oh, you better do what he says.
[6:04] Speaker 2: You know, he's a fucking cop. You know what I mean? So,
[6:07] Speaker 2: and then, you know, like, you're sort of at the
[6:09] Speaker 2: crossroads back then. You can sort of go one way
[6:12] Speaker 2: or the other. And, I mean, Paul was what we thought,
[6:15] Speaker 2: you know, sort of keeping you on the track rather
[6:17] Speaker 2: than going off it. You know, because parties existed back
[6:20] Speaker 2: then and everyone's, you know, getting towards that or heading
[6:23] Speaker 2: towards that sort of milestone age of 18.
[6:27] Speaker 1: I saw a letter that you forwarded on which was
[6:30] Speaker 1: written by him to you. Was that early on?
[6:34] Speaker 2: Yeah, that was, look, I'd say, if I had to
[6:37] Speaker 2: put it, I think that was like probably year 10,
[6:40] Speaker 2: year 11.
[6:41] Speaker 1: Here's a copy of that letter that was sent to
[6:44] Speaker 1: X from Reynolds when he was at school playing for
[6:47] Speaker 1: St Patrick's Football Club. We've used an AI voice actor
[6:51] Speaker 1: to read this letter.
[6:55] Speaker 2: Dear....
[6:57] Speaker 3: There were times at the beginning of the season when
[6:59] Speaker 3: I wasn't sure whether I had you or not, but
[7:02] Speaker 3: you demonstrated a level of responsibility and loyalty to me,
[7:07] Speaker 3: particularly when it related to training, which really pleased me.
[7:12] Speaker 3: You're a talented player who can see the play unfold
[7:15] Speaker 3: and make yourself a target. Your future is bright, provided
[7:20] Speaker 3: that you are prepared to maximise the opportunities which present themselves.
[7:26] Speaker 3: I also understand that you need to be given respect
[7:30] Speaker 3: and you repay it with loyalty and I am confident
[7:34] Speaker 3: that we achieve that this season. You owe it to
[7:37] Speaker 3: yourself and those other players around you to go on
[7:41] Speaker 3: to play the best football for St Pat's that you can.
[7:45] Speaker 3: Younger players will follow you if you are prepared to
[7:49] Speaker 3: show them the way. Thank you for all your efforts
[7:53] Speaker 3: and encouragement And please let me know if I can
[7:56] Speaker 3: assist you in the future. Good luck and my very
[8:00] Speaker 3: best wishes. Paul Reynolds.
[8:04] Speaker 2: It did make me feel special and validated me. And yeah,
[8:07] Speaker 2: I guess I trusted Paul. You know, that was a
[8:09] Speaker 2: really nice thing for someone to do. And I thought, fucking,
[8:13] Speaker 2: how nice is that? You know, it's probably the nicest
[8:14] Speaker 2: thing anyone's ever done for me. So, yeah.
[8:18] Speaker 1: And at the time, you don't realise what he's doing, right?
[8:21] Speaker 1: He's essentially grooming you.
[8:23] Speaker 2: Fucking, yeah. And what about the other boys in the club?
[8:26] Speaker 2: Was he doing the same sort of grooming behaviours to them? Yeah,
[8:45] Speaker 2: like Paul, you know, I guess, you know, given the
[8:48] Speaker 2: nature of his role and what he's done in the past,
[8:51] Speaker 2: I guess he's an expert on human behavior. So he
[8:54] Speaker 2: kind of, he's treated us all slightly different, but I
[8:57] Speaker 2: think with the same result in mind. So look, he
[9:00] Speaker 2: would say different things or he'd remember little things. special
[9:04] Speaker 2: things or characteristics or traits about someone and then kind
[9:08] Speaker 2: of use that as a bit of leverage and, you know,
[9:11] Speaker 2: to either force their hand a little bit or kind
[9:14] Speaker 2: of get them to do or say things because Paul
[9:17] Speaker 2: said to, you know?
[9:22] Speaker 1: We're going to get into some tricky stuff today. If
[9:25] Speaker 1: there's anything that I bring up that's triggering for you
[9:27] Speaker 1: and you want to stop, mate, just you tell me.
[9:29] Speaker 1: I'll let you lead the conversation, okay?
[9:31] Speaker 2: Yeah, don't worry. No, look, mate, I'm in the perfect
[9:33] Speaker 2: place to deal with it all, so nothing is off
[9:36] Speaker 2: record or limits today, so fucking go for it.
[9:40] Speaker 1: At that stage, those early days with Reynolds, did you
[9:43] Speaker 1: trust him?
[9:44] Speaker 2: Yes, in those early days, yes, absolutely, without a doubt, 110%.
[9:51] Speaker 2: As in, like, in your mind as a youngster, you think, well,
[9:55] Speaker 2: given the nature of his position, why wouldn't I trust him?
[9:59] Speaker 2: Do you know what I mean? Like, he's clearly got
[10:00] Speaker 2: a family. I was aware of that. You know, he's
[10:03] Speaker 2: clearly got, you know, a son and daughter. a wife.
[10:06] Speaker 2: Why wouldn't I consent to whatever Paul wants me to
[10:09] Speaker 2: do or act how I need, you know, how he
[10:12] Speaker 2: wants me to act?
[10:13] Speaker 1: How did that relationship over time develop with him?
[10:18] Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I'd say close. You know, I... I guess
[10:21] Speaker 2: he preyed on me, you know, in particular, just due
[10:25] Speaker 2: to probably at times, you know, my father working incredibly hard,
[10:30] Speaker 2: just being absent. And, you know, I just feel at
[10:33] Speaker 2: times he wasn't there for me. And Paul was. He
[10:37] Speaker 2: made himself very available. And on a number of occasions
[10:41] Speaker 2: would have me around at his house and massage my
[10:43] Speaker 2: shoulders and, You know, do all sorts of weird shit.
[10:46] Speaker 2: But back then, I just, you know, because I was
[10:49] Speaker 2: so upset and being a kid, you know, I just
[10:51] Speaker 2: didn't have the intelligence or wisdom that, you know, I've
[10:54] Speaker 2: developed today.
[10:57] Speaker 1: So it's early days, you're at his house and that
[11:00] Speaker 1: doesn't seem abnormal to you?
[11:02] Speaker 2: No, because he would invite me around. He would clear
[11:05] Speaker 2: his schedule. You know, he'd often say, I'm all yours.
[11:09] Speaker 2: You know, he's got a very distinctive voice, the way
[11:13] Speaker 2: he used to talk. You know, slight twang in his voice. Look,
[11:16] Speaker 2: you know, again, looking on now, you sort of feel
[11:19] Speaker 2: sick in your stomach a bit. But back then, it
[11:22] Speaker 2: seemed perfectly normal. This guy's either my football coach at
[11:25] Speaker 2: the time or potentially going to be my football coach.
[11:27] Speaker 2: He's also my ticket to... to potentially, you know, clean
[11:31] Speaker 2: my act up and join the police force as well.
[11:33] Speaker 2: That was something that I sort of had in mind,
[11:36] Speaker 2: but I had some, you know, minor misdemeanours that probably
[11:39] Speaker 2: ended putting my best foot forward. But I thought, you know,
[11:42] Speaker 2: if I stick with this guy, this role model, well,
[11:44] Speaker 2: I'm on a good sort of ticket here.
[11:47] Speaker 1: When he went to his house, where was his family?
[11:50] Speaker 1: Where was his wife?
[11:51] Speaker 2: Yep. great question really strange though and another one of
[11:55] Speaker 2: my mates um we would often uh make remarks about
[11:58] Speaker 2: that i said i went around the ball's house and
[12:00] Speaker 2: you know for team selection or or whatever and it
[12:03] Speaker 2: was really strange but never saw never saw if we
[12:09] Speaker 2: did see his son it was very what are you
[12:13] Speaker 2: doing in here get out this is you know the
[12:15] Speaker 2: boys team selection only.
[12:21] Speaker 1: X shared with me post our call lots of information
[12:25] Speaker 1: about the sorts of abuse he alleges at the hands
[12:28] Speaker 1: of Reynolds. I felt it was easier for him to
[12:31] Speaker 1: share these messages with me via text than actually speak
[12:35] Speaker 1: about them in detail in person. He told me in
[12:39] Speaker 1: text that Reynolds would frequently massage him as a young boy,
[12:44] Speaker 1: telling him that he needed to relax, that he was
[12:48] Speaker 1: a naughty boy, and asking him if he was still shaven.
[12:54] Speaker 1: He says Reynolds said, Are you still shaven? Please tell
[12:59] Speaker 1: me you are, because you know it makes it look bigger.
[13:03] Speaker 1: X told me that he'd cried in front of Reynolds,
[13:06] Speaker 1: been massaged by him, consoled and hugged by him, rubbed
[13:10] Speaker 1: down by him, and on numerous occasions, X says Reynolds
[13:16] Speaker 1: massaged him with oils. Reynolds' hands snuck up his football
[13:21] Speaker 1: shorts and he digitally penetrated him under his shorts during
[13:26] Speaker 1: the massage in the dressing room sheds.
[13:31] Speaker 2: I remember going out on the golf course and stargazing
[13:34] Speaker 2: with him and he's got me in a, you know,
[13:37] Speaker 2: often some of his police holds that he's obviously skilled in,
[13:41] Speaker 2: you know, tactical positioning, how to position his body and,
[13:46] Speaker 2: you know, he'd get on top of me and Like
[13:49] Speaker 2: in the change rooms, like I was listening to another,
[13:52] Speaker 2: someone else that called up and said something about, you know,
[13:55] Speaker 2: testing you out almost. Like he literally, you know, caught
[13:59] Speaker 2: me off guard. And I think I was free balling
[14:01] Speaker 2: that day, you know, wearing no underwear. And, you know,
[14:05] Speaker 2: because you're sort of getting strapped and putting the oil
[14:08] Speaker 2: on and for warmth, et cetera. And then he would
[14:12] Speaker 2: make remarks, you know, like, oh, it's, you know, three
[14:15] Speaker 2: degrees warmer up there. And, you know, prod you near
[14:18] Speaker 2: like you would be mortified but you would just go
[14:22] Speaker 2: well this guy's my coach and he's a police officer
[14:24] Speaker 2: that was sort of in the back of your mind
[14:26] Speaker 2: as well so you just you were reluctant to sort
[14:29] Speaker 2: of say too much And he would go, you know,
[14:33] Speaker 2: you've got to, and if you're not going to tackle someone,
[14:35] Speaker 2: you've got to use all your force and might and
[14:37] Speaker 2: you've got to go through them like a human battling ram.
[14:41] Speaker 2: That's the sort of stuff he would say, like, and
[14:43] Speaker 2: his cheeks would shake and he would be sweating diffusely
[14:47] Speaker 2: and spitting diffusely.
[14:48] Speaker 1: Yeah. What about the other boys in the club or
[14:52] Speaker 1: anyone else in the club?
[14:54] Speaker 2: Yeah, common knowledge. And it's still, look, some of my
[14:57] Speaker 2: friends and I, especially when we're either inebriated, under the
[15:02] Speaker 2: influence of drugs and alcohol, et cetera, intoxicated, we often
[15:06] Speaker 2: recite some of the things, Paul, which is quite sad
[15:10] Speaker 2: and disturbing in a way because this is how much
[15:12] Speaker 2: we idolised him as a bit of a role model.
[15:15] Speaker 2: He's played a big part in not only mine, a
[15:17] Speaker 2: lot of people's lives, where... He would say things like,
[15:21] Speaker 2: you know, we would go for recovery out in the water.
[15:24] Speaker 2: And I remember on one occasion vividly, and he would
[15:28] Speaker 2: comment on the size of someone's scrotum shriveled up. And,
[15:32] Speaker 2: you know, obviously for privacy reasons, I won't say who
[15:36] Speaker 2: that is, given the nature of the interview. On a
[15:39] Speaker 2: number of occasions, he's like, oh, you know, all the
[15:41] Speaker 2: girls say you're hung like an Afghan yak or there's
[15:44] Speaker 2: a pair of Explorer socks down there, isn't there? Or
[15:48] Speaker 2: am I right, ex? You know, so he would often
[15:51] Speaker 2: make sexual remarks. He would get other people sort of
[15:55] Speaker 2: in on the joke. And you just thought it was
[15:58] Speaker 2: banter and camaraderie. And, you know, it can't be anything sinister.
[16:02] Speaker 2: You know, that's what you're sort of naturally thinking about.
[16:07] Speaker 1: X has listened to every episode of this podcast and
[16:10] Speaker 1: has heard the stories that we've shared. In particular, I
[16:13] Speaker 1: wanted to know about the story of the conversation that
[16:16] Speaker 1: was overheard in the Police Academy bar in 2008 with
[16:20] Speaker 1: other officers around Reynolds and his offending.
[16:25] Speaker 2: Yeah, it makes you feel dejected. It makes you feel
[16:28] Speaker 2: like it's all too hard. Oh, no, that's one of
[16:31] Speaker 2: our own. This is a boys club, Tazpole. Nah, we
[16:34] Speaker 2: protect our own. We haven't got time to investigate our
[16:38] Speaker 2: own because we're under-resourced already, etc. Like, the excuses are
[16:42] Speaker 2: a mile long and it's just piss poor. I feel
[16:45] Speaker 2: let down by the system as well as probably the
[16:48] Speaker 2: Tasmanian community does. I feel let down by St. Patrick's College.
[16:52] Speaker 2: And I feel, you know, again, you're supposed to feel safe.
[16:55] Speaker 2: I feel let down by Tasmanian police. It was like
[16:58] Speaker 2: first rule of Fight Club. Don't talk about Fight Club.
[17:01] Speaker 2: Don't talk about it. Shut up. Like, what are you
[17:03] Speaker 2: talking about? Like, they honestly, again, told you to shut up.
[17:07] Speaker 2: Don't talk about it. It's just an internal thing. Because
[17:10] Speaker 2: I've felt crazy for years. I've felt like no way
[17:13] Speaker 2: is this true. It's all in my head. I feel,
[17:16] Speaker 2: I feel, did this just happen to me? Am I
[17:20] Speaker 2: the unlucky one? Is there something wrong with me? Am
[17:23] Speaker 2: I the problem? So while hearing other people's stories and,
[17:28] Speaker 2: you know, bravery and, you know, people being courageous and
[17:32] Speaker 2: sort of ringing up and, you know, they don't have to.
[17:35] Speaker 2: No one's being paid for this. So I actually commend them.
[17:39] Speaker 2: I think it's a sign of strength and I'm not
[17:42] Speaker 2: surprised at all. Certain things have unfortunately happened to me
[17:46] Speaker 2: and others. And like I said, I've got others' names
[17:51] Speaker 2: and if they're content for me to pass it across
[17:55] Speaker 2: the desk, I'm quite happy to do that.
[17:58] Speaker 1: When did you first realise that this had happened to you?
[18:02] Speaker 2: Yeah, again, like me and mates would go, oh, fuck,
[18:05] Speaker 2: how strange was Paul's behavior before? Or that happened to you?
[18:08] Speaker 2: Or fuck, yeah, Paul kind of did this. But he's like, oh,
[18:11] Speaker 2: you know, like he just sort of fobbed it off.
[18:13] Speaker 2: Like it was just part of the game back then.
[18:15] Speaker 2: Like because you're so used to it that it's weird
[18:19] Speaker 2: if he doesn't do it, which that's a fucked up
[18:21] Speaker 2: thing to say, I suppose.
[18:23] Speaker 1: Do you think the school should have known what was
[18:25] Speaker 1: going on?
[18:26] Speaker 2: I guess he was just so trusted. Like, why do
[18:30] Speaker 2: a background check on him? There's just no need. He's
[18:33] Speaker 2: a former inspector of Tasmanian police, senior sergeant, fought Arthur Massacre,
[18:37] Speaker 2: et cetera. You know, his resume is a mile long.
[18:40] Speaker 2: He knows the commissioner. So, or went to the academy,
[18:43] Speaker 2: which is more damning. Like, if we just, we look
[18:46] Speaker 2: at the facts and we look at, there's a pattern
[18:49] Speaker 2: of behaviour.
[18:50] Speaker 1: You actually joined the police force. And how much was
[18:53] Speaker 1: Reynolds a part of that for you?
[18:56] Speaker 2: Look, I just, for record, I wasn't a part of
[18:59] Speaker 2: Tasmanian police.
[19:01] Speaker 1: So you actually worked, you know, later in life you
[19:03] Speaker 1: end up working with him?
[19:05] Speaker 2: Yes, I did. Yes.
[19:07] Speaker 1: How was that experience?
[19:10] Speaker 2: A bit surreal. You're kind of working with someone that's
[19:13] Speaker 2: mentored you, role model, you know, football coach. Like, he
[19:19] Speaker 2: worked with him obviously, yeah, in a different capacity.
[19:22] Speaker 1: Had the grooming stopped by that stage?
[19:25] Speaker 2: Not really, because he was still trying to get me
[19:28] Speaker 2: across next door, I guess, which is Tasmania Police, in
[19:32] Speaker 2: his own sort of time, you know, invite me up
[19:35] Speaker 2: to his office and again, massage my shoulders and mentor
[19:39] Speaker 2: me and what I should be doing, shouldn't be doing.
[19:42] Speaker 2: He was still actively looking out for me, even as
[19:46] Speaker 2: a young man by that stage, yeah, which is a
[19:49] Speaker 2: bit embarrassing to say, but yeah, that's what still occurred.
[19:53] Speaker 1: I think I know the answer to this question and
[19:54] Speaker 1: we're going to, to tread carefully around where you are
[19:57] Speaker 1: right now, because I don't want to give away your identity,
[19:59] Speaker 1: but this has had a pretty big impact on your life, right?
[20:03] Speaker 2: Significant. I'm underestimating how big. I'm actually mentally fucked up
[20:08] Speaker 2: because of it, if that's going to be your question.
[20:11] Speaker 2: I'm actually, yeah.
[20:13] Speaker 1: You've had severe... drug and alcohol issues yeah i've.
[20:18] Speaker 2: Had a um a chronic cocaine addiction alcoholism major depression
[20:23] Speaker 2: disorder i've been diagnosed with major anxiety disorder that's been
[20:27] Speaker 2: psychiatric evaluated as well yeah.
[20:30] Speaker 1: You're currently seeking help for that where you are right
[20:33] Speaker 1: now you're you're actually you're three weeks in how are
[20:36] Speaker 1: you feeling Oh, look, yeah.
[20:39] Speaker 2: I'm supposed to. Look, I dropped my medication by half.
[20:43] Speaker 2: That wasn't a good idea because I was trying to
[20:45] Speaker 2: wean off it a little bit. I don't like the
[20:47] Speaker 2: idea of taking anything. So I was trying to naturally,
[20:50] Speaker 2: you know, just try and test it out. You know,
[20:52] Speaker 2: I'm a week away from being released from these four
[20:54] Speaker 2: walls or being, you know, felt like a, you know,
[20:58] Speaker 2: sort of felt like a prisoner. Oh, look, it has
[21:01] Speaker 2: been good mentally. But look, there's a lot of stuff
[21:04] Speaker 2: that I can't unsee or unfeel. It's been hard at
[21:08] Speaker 2: times because instead of like this place, it's made me
[21:11] Speaker 2: unpack things, confront things head on. Hence, you know, agreeing
[21:15] Speaker 2: to come on even this podcast and speak about some
[21:19] Speaker 2: very unspeakable difficult things.
[21:23] Speaker 1: What was the moment for you that went, I need
[21:25] Speaker 1: to tell my story?
[21:27] Speaker 2: Yeah, someone brought this podcast to my attention. Someone looking
[21:31] Speaker 2: out for me. in my life and they just thought
[21:35] Speaker 2: it would be a good idea, you know, just to
[21:38] Speaker 2: help other people see that these behaviours are occurring all
[21:42] Speaker 2: around us, more prevalent, bringing awareness so no one ever
[21:46] Speaker 2: has to feel the way that I feel right now,
[21:49] Speaker 2: away from my family, not understood. I would often keep
[21:53] Speaker 2: things to myself because of embarrassment, humiliation, What do you
[21:57] Speaker 2: want people to understand about what you went through? That
[22:18] Speaker 2: it's very real. For people around them that aren't enduring
[22:23] Speaker 2: the sort of behavior that certain people may be exposed to,
[22:28] Speaker 2: just to listen carefully. They often don't need you to talk,
[22:31] Speaker 2: they just need you to listen. That they're believed, that
[22:35] Speaker 2: they're in a safe place. and to get the help
[22:39] Speaker 2: needed and literally just be there for them. There's going
[22:42] Speaker 2: to be ups and downs and you often, you know,
[22:45] Speaker 2: that's just life. You take it out on the ones
[22:47] Speaker 2: you love. I've certainly done that and I've acted out
[22:50] Speaker 2: at times and I just wanted to be understood and
[22:54] Speaker 2: this forum has finally enabled me or allowed me to
[22:58] Speaker 2: do that.
[23:00] Speaker 1: You're 100% sure that people inside the police force knew
[23:05] Speaker 1: of Reynolds' offending?
[23:07] Speaker 2: I'm not 100% sure. I'm 110% sure. It was the worst,
[23:13] Speaker 2: best-kept secret in the police force at the time. Paul Reynolds,
[23:18] Speaker 2: at the time, 2018, giving him that decorated funeral, given
[23:23] Speaker 2: what was found on his computer, it was, like I stated,
[23:27] Speaker 2: and I'm not stuttering, it was the best, worst-kept secret.
[23:32] Speaker 1: Did you go to the funeral?
[23:34] Speaker 2: I didn't. I was in... At the time, spiralling out
[23:37] Speaker 2: of control given what was found on Paul Reynolds' computer.
[23:41] Speaker 2: It was all common knowledge. People were asking me if
[23:44] Speaker 2: I was okay. I was acting out. I wasn't understood.
[23:47] Speaker 2: My arm was twisted from the police force. I was
[23:50] Speaker 2: just like a problem child. Oh, well, let's fuck him off.
[23:53] Speaker 2: You're just another number. I was treated as just another number.
[23:57] Speaker 2: He's too hard. Fuck him off.
[24:01] Speaker 1: The moment you find out all of the rumours are
[24:03] Speaker 1: true about Reynolds.
[24:05] Speaker 2: Oh, you just feel sick. Like, you feel fucking... You
[24:08] Speaker 2: know when you feel that feeling in your stomach, that
[24:11] Speaker 2: gut feeling, and you know something's off, and you just
[24:14] Speaker 2: don't speak up because you're too scared, you're too embarrassed,
[24:17] Speaker 2: you don't want to be the different one in the
[24:20] Speaker 2: room or say something a little bit against the grain.
[24:24] Speaker 2: You just feel fucking stupid. And then you're just like,
[24:27] Speaker 2: what's the fucking point? No one believes you. And how
[24:30] Speaker 2: are we going to....
[24:33] Speaker 1: Did you ever speak to Regina Weiss in the Weiss Review?
[24:37] Speaker 2: Do we need to have a Royal Commission into Reynolds,
[24:40] Speaker 2: an independent Royal Commission? Fucking absolutely. Absolutely. I need another cigarette. Absolutely.
[24:59] Speaker 2: It's just disgusting. It's how they've all allowed this to happen.
[25:03] Speaker 2: And even like people like me and me having to
[25:06] Speaker 2: ring up on my own accord. And, you know, they'll
[25:09] Speaker 2: investigate if I fuck up or minor traffic offense, but
[25:12] Speaker 2: they won't investigate real victim survivors of Paul Reynolds.
[25:19] Speaker 1: A note to end this podcast, we've stayed in touch
[25:22] Speaker 1: with X to make sure he's okay. He's also told
[25:25] Speaker 1: us there are others that he hopes will come forward
[25:28] Speaker 1: after they hear his story. If you do want to
[25:31] Speaker 1: reach out anonymously, you can do that at our email address,
[25:36] Speaker 1: podshape at proton.me.

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