How My Abuser Brought Us Together

Cathy was raped by a paedophile. Ellen tracked down the perpetrator and helped Cathy take her power back. As told to Alexandra Carlton.

- Alexandra Carlton

When Cathy Masters* was growing up in suburban Sydney in the ’80s, getting dinner from the local fish and chip shop was a special treat. But these innocent trips turned nightmarish when Cathy and her sister met a man they came to know as “Lionel”, who took over running the store in 1983. Using his own six-year-old foster daughter as bait, Lionel – whose real name was Jack Keith King – befriended Cathy and other girls in the neighbourhood with treats, outings and holidays, gaining their trust and eventually grooming them to comply with his gross abuse of power. Over a period of two years, six girls aged between six and 12 were raped by King when he lived in Sydney’s inner west. Another three victims have also been located since.

Thirty-three years after the offences took place, King was firmly on the radar of Detective Senior Constable Ellen Quinn, of the NSW Police Marrickville Local Area Command. After one of his victims came forward, Quinn led the investigation into finding King and eventually brought him to justice in 2017, when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Despite the immense pain and challenges involved, the investigation had a uniquely positive outcome – the enduring friendship forged between Cathy and Ellen. What began as tentative contact developed into a strong sense of mutual respect, and over the years an unbreakable bond was built – one that helped Cathy grow beyond being a victim and taught Ellen about the power of survival.

CATHY’S STORY: