The Family Club -
Hawthorn team manager faced paedophile allegations before sudden death
Tom Cowie
Tom Cowie
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A well-known Hawthorn team manager close to the powerful club’s coaches and players was set to be charged by police over child sex abuse allegations when he took his own life last week.
Long-time Hawks staff member Ric Sprake, 66, was found dead on Saturday in a hotel room in Doncaster East.
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Ric Sprake with the 2013 premiership cup.
Ric Sprake with the 2013 premiership cup. Photo: Supplied
Fairfax Media can reveal that Mr Sprake, from Surrey Hills, was arrested by sexual crimes detectives in late December.
It is understood police were close to charging Mr Sprake after a statement was made by his son, Joel, in September last year.
In a 26-page signed statement given to police and seen by Fairfax Media, Joel Sprake, who is now 40, alleged that his father sexually abused him when he was a child for more than 10 years.
The allegations include violent acts of paedophilia by Mr Sprake when his son was as young as four years old.
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Under questioning by police, Mr Sprake made no admissions of guilt and was released without charge, however, a brief of evidence had nearly been completed when he died last week.
There are also claims that Mr Sprake drugged his son before raping him. The acts are alleged to have taken place at several homes in which the family lived.
Police are understood to have been given evidence of a recording and a letter, which allegedly contained an apology from Mr Sprake for the abuse.
Before his death, Mr Sprake had been involved in an organisational role with Hawthorn and its feeder club, Box Hill, for 14 years. He was a regular fixture in the team’s rooms and on the interchange bench alongside players and coaches on game day. He also travelled interstate with the team.
In a tribute posted on the Hawks’ website before the allegations of sexual abuse were made public, head coach Alastair Clarkson said the club was devastated by Mr Sprake’s death.
“He was selfless, hardworking and always had time for people,” he said.
“He had a profound impact on our club and his legacy will live on at Hawthorn.”
A photo attached to the eulogy showed Mr Sprake celebrating with the 2013 premiership cup, which Hawthorn won against Fremantle.
A post on the Hawthorn Facebook page expressing condolences to Mr Sprake’s family and friends was removed on Tuesday afternoon. There were more than a hundred comments on the page remembering Mr Sprake as a popular man who loved the club.
He was also close to some of Hawthorn’s most powerful figures.
An Age story in 2015 described Mr Sprake organising food after the death of assistant coach Brett Ratten’s son Cooper at the request of then football manager Chris Fagan.
Mr Sprake rose to his role as team manager after many years as a fan of the club.
In an interview on a Hawthorn fan site published before he was given the job, Mr Sprake said he had been a Hawks fan since birth and had watched the team play at its former home ground Glenferrie Oval.
A Hawthorn spokesperson said it was an “extremely difficult and sensitive subject” and declined to comment any further. The tribute post was deleted from the Hawthorn wesbite after the allegations became public.
If you are troubled by this report or experiencing a personal crisis you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au
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