Ian Roberts
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At the height of a 1996 paedophile scandal which reached into the highest levels of Australia's judiciary and political circles, with the now 17-year old Light scheduled to give evidence in a separate but similar investigation, and with the relationship between him and Light becoming strained Roberts jumped at the chance to avoid being smeared by his association, through Light, with the case. He moved north from Sydney to Queensland to play for the North Queensland Cowboys.
A police officer had asked Roberts to take Light into his home again as the case was being prepared. Roberts declined. Light was stabbed to death soon after, though his body was only discovered in 2002. The death was blamed by police on one of those alleged to be part of a paedophile ring, Fred Rix. No child-sex conviction was made against Rix because the primary witness, Light, had failed to appear at court.
"I should have taken him in," an anguished Roberts now says. "I wouldn't give a fuck now if the whole world thought I was a paedophile if it meant that kid was still alive... I didn't do enough... I wasn't the man I thought I would have been."
