Bob Montgomery (psychologist)

Bob Montgomery is a prominent Australian former psychologist who was imprisoned for sexually abusing boys.

Career

Montgomery was a scoutmaster until 1965 when Scouts New South Wales ended his membership due to concerns raised by parents. He was a psychiatric inpatient for several months afterwards. He then studied psychology at the University of Sydney while working as a schoolteacher.[1]

In 1972, he moved to Melbourne and helped establish the psychology department at La Trobe University, where he ran a sex therapy clinic which was equipped with a double bed for research purposes. His lectures included lengthy footage of couples having sex, and students were made to replicate the controversial Milgram experiment. After failing to become head of department, he left the university to run a private practice. In 1994, he became head of the psychology department at Bond University after being recruited by criminologist Paul Wilson, who was later convicted of child sex offences.[1][2]

Montgomery often appeared on radio and television, including as a guest expert on the first season of Big Brother Australia.[3] He was president of the Australian Psychological Society from about 2008 to 2010.[4] As a private consultant, he prepared reports for the Family Court about whether allegations of sexual abuse raised during child custody disputes were credible.[5] He also assessed the risk of paedophiles molesting children who were under the care of the Queensland Government.[1]

Arrest and conviction

Montgomery was arrested in January 2019 for offences he committed in the 1960s in the Sydney suburbs of Edgecliff and Marrickville. The victims were three 12-year-old boys in his scout troop, and a student at a high school where he taught. Montgomery pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and buggery. In December 2020, he was sentenced to four years' jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.[6][7] The judge took into account that Montgomery has dementia and is expected to live about four more years.[8] Montgomery and his wife, fellow psychologist Laurel Morris, were living at Runaway Bay on Queensland's Gold Coast at the time of his arrest. He was 76 years old.[1]

Bibliography

(co-authored with Laurel Morris)

  • Living With Anxiety: A Clinically Tested Step-By-Step Plan for Drug-Free Management (2001)[9]
  • Surviving: Coping With A Life Crisis (2000)[10]
  • Your Good Health: A Whole Health Program to Live Healthier, Live Happier, and Live Longer (1995, 2nd edition)[11]
  • Successful Sex (1992)[12]
  • Getting on with the Oldies: Better Relationships with Parents and Other Adults (1990)[13]
  • Getting on with Your Teenagers (1990)[14]

References
  1. Robertson, Josh (11 July 2021). "Unmasking Monsters". Background Briefing. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  2. Elliott, Tim (26 April 2012). "La Trobe 'torture' study anguish". The Age. Melbourne: Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. Knox, David (4 June 2020). "Psychologist was not a Big Brother consultant". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  4. Robertson, Josh; Davoren, Heidi (10 June 2020). "Australian Psychological Society under fire for 'disturbing' response to Bob Montgomery child sex prosecution". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. Davoren, Heidi; Robertson, Josh (10 June 2020). "Family Court report writer and former Big Brother psychologist, Bob Montgomery, pleads guilty to child sex abuse". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  6. Clun, Rachel, with Australian Associated Press (31 January 2019). "Former Sydney Scoutmaster in court over child sex assault charges". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 11 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Zemek, Steve (7 December 2020). "Former Big Brother psychologist Robert Montgomery jailed for child abuse". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  8. Carmody, James (7 December 2020). "Bob Montgomery sentenced to four years in prison for historic child sex offences". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  9. Living With Anxiety. Internet Archive. 7 August 2001. ISBN 9781555613068. OL 8574570M. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Open Library.
  10. Surviving: Coping with a Life Crisis. Internet Archive. 2000. ISBN 9781555612399. OL 50446M. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Open Library.
  11. Your Good Health. Internet Archive. August 1995. ISBN 9780850914115. OL 11595172M. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Open Library.
  12. "Catalogue: Successful sex / Bob Montgomery, Laurel Morris". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  13. Getting on with the Oldies. Internet Archive. 14 December 1990. ISBN 9780850913156. OL 11595164M. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Open Library.
  14. Getting on with Your Teenagers. Internet Archive. 14 December 1990. ISBN 9780850913149. OL 9403761M. Retrieved 12 July 2021 – via Open Library.
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