Australian True Crime

The Devastating Legacy of Dennis McKenna's Crimes

2026-11-01

Decades after Dennis McKenna sexually abused boys at St Andrew's Hostel in Western Australia, the devastating consequences of his crimes are still being felt.

As the convicted child sex offender faces possible release, whistleblower Maggie Dawkins returns with new allegations that raise questions about his offending history. She's joined by Kaye Anderson, whose sons attended the hostel and who shares the heartbreaking impact McKenna's crimes have had on her family.

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Contact your representatives

For listeners wishing to raise concerns about the potential release of Dennis McKenna, we encourage you to contact the following Western Australian representatives:

Premier Roger Cook: [email protected]

Attorney General Dr Tony Buti: [email protected]

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas: [email protected]

We recommend listening to our first episode on this case "The House of Horrors in Katanning" if you haven't already.

You can purchase your copy of To Be Believed: A West Australian Scandal here.

You can watch our episodes by visiting our Youtube Channel here.

Join our Facebook Group here.

Do you have information regarding any of the cases discussed on this podcast? Please report it on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Wanting to hear about certain kinds of crime? Check out our Spotify playlists for a curated list of our episodes.

For Support:

Lifeline  on 13 11 14

13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Blue Knot Helpline: 1300 657 380

CREDITS:

Host: Meshel Laurie

Guests: Maggie Dawkins and Kaye Anderson

Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard

GET IN TOUCH:

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No. of episodes

812

Latest episode

2026-11-01

Where can you listen?

Think nothing ever happens in your town? Australia's suburbs are home to some of the most mysterious and disturbing true crime cases in the world. Meshel Laurie is a true crime obsessive, and with the help of expert interviews with writers, victim/survivors, investigators and perpetrators, she probes the underbelly of our towns and suburbs, and uncovers the darkness at the heart of Australian life.