Reverend John Newton
Reverend John Newton (1988)
John Gregg
Episodes: 355 – 363
Marital Status: Angela Newton (separated)
Children: Aviva and Tamar (Viv and Tammy)
Reverend Newton was mentioned by Viv after she confessed that she had run away from home to escape from his abusive ways. He was first seen when he appeared at Summer Bay High and impressed Mr Fisher who helped him look for Viv. They found her at Andrew Foley’s office and Viv explained that she wanted to live in a foster home beacuse she was scared of her father who locked her under the stairs to punish her. Reverend Newton told Fisher and Foley that she was lying but agreed to foster care if it was what Viv really wanted. He asked if she’d phone home to speak to her sister first though because Tammy was missing her. On hearing her sisiter’s distressed voice, Viv reacted exactly how Reverend Newton had expected and explained away her accusations as lies, saying she wanted to go home with her father.
At home Reverend Newton locked Viv under the stairs explaining that he had arranged for Tammy to be away so Viv couldn’t see her. He refused to let Viv eat anything after Steven tried to ring the house looking for her and made her walk miles to school after she took the blame for Tammy spilling some milk. He overheard her trying to phone Steven and beat her before locking her once more in the cupboard under the stairs. Finding her asleep in there he poured water over her causing Viv to lash out at him and Reverend Newton to lock her away again.
Tammy helped her escape and she rang for Steven to help but when he and Bobby turned up at the house Reverend Newton lied that Viv was at bible class. Tammy came down the stairs and Reverend Newton shouted at her, causing Bobby and Steven to insist on waiting for Viv who appeared from upstairs after being released from her cupboard by Tammy. Reverend Newton was backed into a corner and let Viv leave but refused to let them take Tammy. Bobby and Viv returned after dark to let Tammy out from the cupboard under the stairs and when Reverend Newton came downstairs Bobby locked him in the cupboard.
He was let out after Bobby made an anonymous call to a neighbour and Docs were called in. Reverend Newton managed to get Fisher and the Docs worker onside and he said to Viv that she and Tammy could either go to a childrens home or go back to living with their father. Scared by her fathers talk of what a childrens home would be like Tammy agreed to go back with her father but Viv was allowed to stay with Mr Fisher. The Docs worker promised Viv that they’d visit Tammy once a week and if she was being mistreated they’d take her away.