Pedophile gave YMCA stepdad reference A PEDOPHILE employed by the YMCA used a family member for a reference, while staff at the not-for-profit group failed to adequately carry out checks on his employment history, a Royal Commission has been told. Child Care co-ordinator, now manager, Jacqui Barnat, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse the YMCA had not asked her to explain how Lord was hired. Lord is serving a minimum of six years for abusing 12 children. Council assisting the commission Gail Furness asked Ms Barnat if anyone had asked her to explain what led to Lord being hired. Yes, for the commission ... Ms Barnat said, before being interrupted by Justice Peter McClellan. "Before the commission came on the scene," Justice McClellan asked. "I don't think so," Ms Barnat replied. One of two references supplied by Lord was his stepfather, Charlie Yankos. A second reference check was never committed to writing. Mr Yankos' name was misspelled as Yankhurst on the form, while some questions on the form were left blank. Ms Barnat, who was responsible for the Lord's supervision, said she was unaware at the time Mr Yankos was Lord's stepfather. This is despite his mother, who shares the same surname his stepfather, being put as an emergency reference. On another form it was noted Lord had no prior qualifications for working with children. Ms Barnat said she thought the reference check was satisfactory. When asked if she acknowledged her checks fell far below best standards and best practice, Ms Barnat replied: "I don't believe so." I did what I believe I needed to do. It was not unusual for someone to be hired despite having no prior qualifications, Ms Barnat said. The commission also heard there was no evidence Ms Barnat checked with Lord's previous employer, Camp America, who dismissed him after he was found emerging from a darkened bathroom with an eight-year-old boy. Justice McClellan asked Ms Barnat if she thought she had done a satisfactory job in hiring Lord in light of the YMCA's employment policy, which asked to check on whether there had been an investigation from a former employer. "If you had followed step three of the policy you would have to asked if he had been subject to an investigation by a former employer?" he asked. If you had made the inquiries you should have, you would have found he was terminated for his conduct with children? Ms Barnat answered: "When it's stated that way that's correct."