Report: McCormack comments made in the newsroom

A former Current Affair journalist claims Nine held suspicions about Ben McCormack prior to his arrest and subsequent prosecution.

Caroline Marcus told SKY News presenter Peta Credlin that McCormack would make sexually suggestive comments about underage boys in the newsroom which were ignored.

She also made a complaint about workplace behaviour surrounding an unrelated matter in 2014. McCormack received a warning.

Marcus alleged then-executive producer Grant Williams had tried to “get rid of him” but was unable to.

A Nine spokeswoman refuted the claims, saying Marcus had an axe to grind.

“The executive producer of ACA Grant [Williams] was responsible for renewing Ben’s contract and the terms,” they told the Daily Telegraph.

McCormack was convicted last week for having sexually explicit conversations via a carriage service, given a three-year good behaviour bond and a $1000 fine.

Update:

Caroline Marcus has since issued an apology. Mumbrella reported her statement:

“On the Credlin project last Friday 8 December, I discussed the recent conviction and sentencing of former Nine network employee Ben McCormack on two counts of child pornography offences.

“Some viewers may have understood us to be saying that people who worked with Ben McCormack and Nine and the management of the Nine network and in particular the national news and current affairs director knew of and covered up or turned a blind eye to the pedophile conduct of Ben McCormack.

“Neither Sky News or I intended to suggest that was the case and apologise for any hurt or embarrassment caused by our discussion.”