An aboriginal Western Australian government employee who once won a child protection award has been charged with child sex offences including raping a teenage boy.
Barry Wayne Lawrence, 39, was charged with four offences last year, and is now facing eight new charges – four counts of sexually penetrating a child over 13 and under 16, indecent dealings with a child, attempted sexual penetration, and encouraging a child over 13 and under 16 to engage in sexual behaviour.
Police allege Lawrence, from the Mandurah suburb of Coodanup, sexually abused his victim in April 2012 while looking after vulnerable children in his role at the Department of Communities, and the accused is set to appear in court next week, ABC News and The West Australian reported.
Lawrence was granted bail in 2025 after facing court charged with indecently dealing with a child over 16 under their authority, indecently dealing with a child over 13 and under 16, and two counts of allegedly intending to expose a person under 16 years to indecent matter, and has not entered pleas.
The first charges were laid less than a year after Lawrence was given a partnership award as an aboriginal practice leader at Western Australia’s inaugural Child Protection Excellence Awards, presented by then-minister for child protection Sabina Winton.
Following the charges Ms Winton said she was not aware about any concerns about Lawrence at the time, and confirmed that his Working With Children Check had been revoked amid the police investigation.
Lawrence was chair of Mandurah’s NAIDOC Committee, worked with aboriginal young people, led art therapy sessions for children, and has been pictured with prominent politicians including Liberal leader Basil Zempilas and then-Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti.
The Department of Communities said it was aware an employee was facing criminal charges.
“While the matter is before the courts it is not appropriate for the Department to provide specific comment,” the department said in a statement.
“The safety and wellbeing of children is always the Department’s top priority and Communities works collaboratively with WA Police to support criminal investigations.”
Header image: Barry Wayne Lawrence (X).
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