Leanne Creese takes Melbourne cult The Family to court

A survivor of infamous Melbourne cult The Family is taking the group to court in hope she can compensate alleged victims and remove the dying leader’s legal guardians.

Leanne Creese, who spent 16 years following cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne under the name ‘Anna’, will take the action to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday.

She will fight to have Hamilton-Byrne’s legal and financial guardians removed, who have power of attorney over the now 96-year-old’s affairs because she suffers from dementia.

Leanne Creese (pictured), who spent 16 years following cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne under the name ‘Anna’, will take the action to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday

The children, who had their hair bleached blonde and shaped into the same bob, were allegedly beaten, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne (pictured right) and other cult leaders

The children, who had their hair bleached blonde and shaped into the same bob, were allegedly beaten, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne (pictured right) and other cult leaders

In total the cult’s assets are said to be worth up to $10 million, with properties in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne and the United States. 

Ms Creese, who has previously shined light on the abuse and use of drugs inside the cult, told The Age: ‘I want to dethrone her, and take away her money.’

‘I want to show Ms Hamilton-Byrne and every complicit person who did her dirty work that they can’t get away with it.’ 

Hamilton-Byrne, one of very few female cult leaders, was under the influence of LSD when she began collecting children in Lake Eildon in central Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s in preparation for what she believed was an apocalyptic war.

In total 28 children spent time at the property - 14 of which were thought to be the biological children of Hamilton-Byrne and her husband, Bill (pictured are some of the almost identical looking children)

In total 28 children spent time at the property – 14 of which were thought to be the biological children of Hamilton-Byrne and her husband, Bill (pictured are some of the almost identical looking children)

Hamilton-Byrne (pictured), one of very few female cult leaders, was under the influence of LSD when she began collecting children in Lake Eildon in central Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s in preparation for what she believed was an apocalyptic war

Hamilton-Byrne (pictured), one of very few female cult leaders, was under the influence of LSD when she began collecting children in Lake Eildon in central Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s in preparation for what she believed was an apocalyptic war

The 96-year-old believed it was her duty to gather the children for the new world and amassed up to 500 followers 

The 96-year-old believed it was her duty to gather the children for the new world and amassed up to 500 followers 

The 96-year-old believed it was her duty to gather the children for the new world and amassed up to 500 followers.

In total 28 children spent time at the property – 14 of which were thought to be the biological children of Hamilton-Byrne and her husband, Bill.

The children, who had their hair bleached blonde and shaped into the same bob, were allegedly beaten, starved and injected with LSD by Hamilton-Byrne and other cult leaders.

Police dramatically rescued the traumatised children from the sect property in 1987 after three young women managed to escape and alert police, survivor Ben Shenton previously told The Today Show.

‘What Anne indoctrinated people with, she took them as vulnerable people and came up with a system which was very abusive. If they disagree they were bullied, intimidated, people were separated from their families,’ Mr Shenton said.

Police dramatically rescued the traumatised children from the sect property in 1987 after three young women managed to escape and alert police, survivor Ben Shenton previously told The Today Show

Police dramatically rescued the traumatised children from the sect property in 1987 after three young women managed to escape and alert police, survivor Ben Shenton previously told The Today Show

‘She came up with an ideology that appeared to help people to begin with, but as soon as they disagreed, they were thrown out of the cult, people were put into mental hospitals.’ But so far no charges have been brought by police regarding the abuse allegations.

Ms Creese has also opened up about the time she was given the drug LSD.

‘I was given LSD when I was 14,’ Ms Creese told A Current Affair. ‘It was when we supposedly became initiated into the inner sanctum.’

A fundraising page has been set up to pay for the legal fees associated with the case. 

‘THE FAMILY’ CULT TIMELINE

  • 1963 Yoga teacher Anne Hamilton meets English physicist and writer, Dr Raynor Johnson and they found a sect known as The Family.  
  • 1968 The Family begins to ‘adopt’ and acquire children to create a ‘master race’.  
  • 1974 An official school is set up for the ‘master race’ children at the Lake Eildon property.  
  • 1978 Anne Hamilton marries William (Bill) Byrne and they take the surname Hamilton-Byrne. 
  • 1983 Police visit the Lake Eildon property to search for a missing girl. She is not found on the property.
  • 1987 (14 August) Combined police raid on sect property at Lake Eildon. Anne is overseas. Bill is present at the raid but is not charged. 
  • The children are removed from the sect and placed into care. 
  • 1987 (Oct/Nov) Bill flees to Hawaii to meet Anne. 
  • 1987 (12 December) Monbulk School fire – Detective Lex de Man is called to investigate. He learns about The Family. 
  • 1989 (about June) Lex de Man writes a report recommending Victoria Police commence a criminal investigation into The Family. 
  • 1989 (11 December) Operation Forest Task Force commences. 
  • 1993 (4 June) Anne and Bill are arrested in the Catskill Mountains, Upstate New York. 
  • 1993 (17 August) Anne and Bill are extradited to Australia. 
  • 1993 (31 August) Anne and Bill appear in the Victorian Magistrates’ Court, charged with conspiracy to defraud and commit perjury by falsely registering the births of triplets. 
  • 1994 In the County Court, Anne and Bill avoid prison and are fined $5000 each. 
  • 2001 Bill dies, leaving Anne to lead a diminishing group of followers. 
  • 2017 At 96, Anne lives in the dementia wing of a suburban Melbourne nursing home.

Source: thefamilysect.com

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