Robert Hughes (Australian actor)

Robert Hughes
Born	Robert Lindsay Hughes Sydney, Australia
Occupation	Actor, voice actor, musician (1976–2013)
Known for	Hey Dad..!, ABBA: The Movie
Criminal penalty	10 years 9 months imprisonment (6 years non-parole)
Criminal status	Incarcerated
Spouse(s)	Robyn Gardiner
Conviction(s)	Two counts of sexual assault, seven counts of indecent assault and one count of committing an indecent act involving girls from 6 to 15

Robert Lindsay Hughes (born 1948 in Sydney, Australia) also known as Bob Hughes, is an Australian former actor, voice artist and musician whose most significant roles include ABBA: The Movie and the television sitcom Hey Dad..!. In May 2014 he was convicted of sexual offences against children and sentenced to 10 years and 9 months imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 6 years.

Early career

Hughes first worked as a cadet journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald.

In 1967–1968 Hughes was the bass player for the pop band the Flying Circus before they had hits with the songs "Hayride" and "La La".

Acting

Hughes has acted extensively in Australian theatre, film and television. He was a Sydney Theatre Company company artist from 1981. His theatre roles have included The War Horse and Great Big Adventure Book for Boys. His television roles include Chopper Squad, Cop Shop, The Sullivans, Skyways, Tickled Pink, The Paul Hogan Show, Dick Emery in Australia, Daily at Dawn, The Timeless Land, Kingswood Country, A Country Practice, Learned Friends, Prisoner and The New Adventures of Blinky Bill. His film roles include Cathy's Child, Fatty Finn, ABBA: The Movie and Squizzy Taylor. Following this he played the lead role in Hey Dad..! from 1987 until leaving the series in 1993.

Hughes did not participate in two Hey Dad..! cast reunions: on the television series Where Are They Now in 2006, and a radio reunion on Brisbane station B105 FM in 2009.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Allmovie rating
1977	ABBA: The Movie	Ashley Wallace	link
1979	Cathy's Child	Mike	link
1980	Fatty Finn	Percy	link
1981	Winter of Our Dreams	Martin Harris	link
1982	Squizzy Taylor	Reg Harvey	link
1982	Deadline	Fletcher	link
1984	The Great Gold Swindle	Brian Mickelberg	link
1996	Race the Sun		( link
1999	First Daughter	Dan	(unrated) link
2000	Nowhere to Land	AFP Bill Ryan	(unrated) link

Allegations of sexual misconduct, arrest, and conviction

In March 2010 Sarah Monahan alleged that Hughes, who then was living in Singapore, had engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour on the set of the Hey Dad..! show. Fellow cast members, Ben Oxenbould and Simone Buchanan commented in support of her allegations. Police announced the creation of a strike force on 29 March to investigate the claims. Monahan said she spent more than 35 hours testifying to police. In September 2010, six months after the allegations were published, it was reported that over a hundred people had been interviewed. Police had not spoken to Hughes and were weighing up whether a formal interview would take place.

In an interview broadcast on Channel Nine's A Current Affair on 14 March 2011, a niece of Hughes claimed that she had also been molested by him. Hughes' daughter rejected the allegations and questioned why these accusations had not been raised earlier.

A mother of a victim later said "We first went to [New South Wales] police about Hughes in 1988 when my daughter was nine years old" and says she was told by the investigating detective "I've tried to get this guy but every time I do someone covers for him". NSW Police had interviewed Hughes about claims of sexual abuse as early as 1985.

Hughes was arrested in London in August 2012 and the New South Wales government sought his extradition to Australia. He was granted bail and a hearing was held on 19 September 2012. At that hearing, Hughes indicated that he intended to return to Australia for questioning. After being extradited to Australia, Hughes was charged with 11 counts of child sexual abuse and released on bail.

His trial started on 10 February 2014, at Downing Centre District Court where he pleaded not guilty to eleven charges. In April 2014, the jury found Hughes guilty of two counts of sexual assault, seven counts of indecent assault and one count of committing an indecent act. A final charge, relating to an indecent act with a child under the age of sixteen, resulted in a hung jury. No outcome was recorded in relation to this charge.

On 16 May 2014, Hughes was sentenced to 10 years and 9 months imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 6 years. His earliest date of eligibility for release will be in April 2020 when he will be aged 71. Hughes appealed to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, but his appeal was dismissed on 21 December 2015. On 18 January 2016 he lodged an appeal in the High Court.

External links

• Actor Robert Hughes interview: ABBA — The Movie
• Robert Hughes at the Internet Movie Database

• Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz, Sunshine Books, 1984. ISBN 0-86777-057-0 p 111
• "Hey Dad! star charged over alleged child sexual assaults". (13 December 2012). ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 December 2012.