By Sean Fewster
Adelaide Now
March 12, 2009
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,27574,25175826-2682,00.html
DISGRACED church youth leader and sexual deviant Andrew Dawson-Ryan had watched, without emotion, as his victims recounted their torment and suffering in court.
Today, his stony-faced attitude and persistent claims of innocence combined to ensure he will spend at least the next decade behind bars.
The District Court ordered the 60-year-old, of Cumberland Park, be jailed for 18 years for sexually abusing four boys.
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| Disgraced Church of England Boys Society leader Andrew Dawson-Ryan outside court. |
Judge Gordon Barrett said Dawson-Ryan had shown no sign of rehabilitation, warranting a non-parole period of 10 years.
"Your victims had to give evidence, and were disturbed and distressed by what happened to them and having to recount it," he said.
"You cannot have failed to see that yourself.
"Your absence of remorse in the face of the perfectly evident pain of your victims does not suggest, to me, that any true reformation of character has occurred."
Dawson-Ryan, was last year convicted by a jury of 12 counts of indecent assault, five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, gross indecency and procuring an act of gross indecency.
Between 1972 and 1988, at suburbs around Adelaide, Dawson-Ryan abused a number of boys entrusted into his care as a leader with the Church of England Boys Society.
In sentencing, Judge Barrett said Dawson-Ryan took advantage of his position as a "trusted father figure".
"You attracted them, first, by legitimate activities such as camping (then) plied them with cigarettes, alcohol and, in some cases, pornography," he said.
"As they approached puberty, you positioned yourself to get them on your own (and) made it very difficult for the boys to get away from you.
"The legitimate and illicit activities kept them pliant, the illicit activities kept them silent."
He said CEBS gave Dawson-Ryan the chance to offend.
"You say that CEBS was your life, and that was for both good and ill," he said.
'The Anglican Church said it hoped the jail term would help victims and their families move towards healing.
"The diocese is in touch with and providing assistance to seven survivors of Dawson-Ryan's abuse and hopes that the conviction and sentencing may encourage others to come forward and seek help," it said in a statement.
"Any sex abuse survivors who have not yet been assisted by the Anglican Church are urged to get in touch to arrange pastoral and financial support."
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