Barry Cable Acquitted in Historic Child Abuse Trial
The 82-year-old former champion footballer Barry Cable was acquitted of multiple historical child sexual abuse charges despite a judge concluding the alleged victim was likely truthful. The allegations dated back to the late 1960s and involved a girl aged about eight or nine.
Cable faced a judge-only criminal trial in the Western Australian district court in Perth. On Monday, Judge Michael Bowden delivered a not guilty verdict on seven charges against Cable.
“I have scrutinised [the alleged victim’s] evidence with great care, bearing in mind the lengthy delay and the significant forensic disadvantages that the delay causes to Mr Cable as outlined, and the lack of independent, objective supporting evidence,” Judge Bowden said.
“That leads me to conclude that while ... Mr Cable has the tendency alleged and I consider it more probable than not that she is telling the truth, I am not persuaded of guilt beyond reasonable doubt in respect of any count on the indictment and acquit Mr Cable.”
Family Responds to Verdict
Outside the court, Cable’s son, Shane Cable, expressed relief and support for his father. He stated the family was pleased and unsurprised by the decision.
“Dad is someone who’s always inspired so many people through his football, dedicated his life after football to community work,” he said.
“The allegations that were made were at extreme odds with certainly the Barry that we know and have loved our whole life.”
Shane Cable added that Barry and his wife, Helen, now have closure and can live their remaining years with dignity.
Details of the Allegations
Prosecutors alleged that Cable abused the girl at his family home during a stay of about a month. The alleged victim testified that Cable initially treated her well.
“He was loving towards me like an uncle ... then things changed,” she said during her testimony in March.
The abuse was claimed to have involved penetrative sex on multiple occasions while Cable’s wife was asleep. The woman reported the abuse to police in 2023 after seeing Cable on television, which she said triggered memories of the alleged abuse.
Cable denied all charges. He was acquitted of five counts of indecent dealing with a girl under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13, with the alleged offenses occurring between 31 December 1966 and 31 December 1969.
Tendency Evidence and Victims’ Reactions
During the four-day trial in March, three women gave tendency evidence claiming Cable had sexually touched them in Victoria and Western Australia. One of these women, who was also the complainant in a civil case against Cable, expressed disappointment with the criminal trial outcome.
“The system has failed his [alleged] victim-survivors,” she said on behalf of herself, the alleged victim in the criminal trial, and the other tendency witnesses.
“No matter what, we no longer feel silenced, not ashamed.
“The shame lies solely with him.”
Civil Trial and Consequences
In a civil trial held in the same court in 2023, Cable was found to have abused a girl over five years starting in 1968 when she was 12 years old. The victim was awarded $818,700 in damages. The civil trial judge noted compelling evidence that Cable had violated other children.
The complainant stated that Cable declared bankruptcy before the civil trial and had not paid the awarded damages.
Following these proceedings, Cable was stripped of his Australian Football Hall of Fame honours. His distinguished playing career spanned the 1960s and 70s with Perth and East Perth in the WAFL and North Melbourne in the VFL. He also had a coaching career in both leagues.
