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Christian Brother Jailed for Historical Assaults on Boys

By Richard Noone
news.com.au
December 22, 2016

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/christian-brother-jailed-for-historical-assaults-on-boys/news-story/6e6224b05c033cc7ed46d8d6b633a7a6

Christian Brother Desmond Eric "Neil" Richards who was sentenced to three year's jail for abusing boys when he was Principal of a primary school at East Gosford.

A FORMER Central Coast school principal was jailed last week for a minimum of three years over historical assaults against young boys.

Christian Brother Desmond Eric “Neil” Richards pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault, with a further six charges taken into account during sentencing.

The 78-year-old faced the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney on Friday, where he was sentenced to six years’ jail, with a non-parole period of three years.

The charges came after Richards was jailed in November 2014 for two years and three months for sexually abusing four Catholic schoolboys between 1972 and 1982.

The offences occurred at various postings, including Albury, Wagga Wagga and Strathfield.

He was in jail when two more victims came forward over abuse they sustained when he was principal of the then St Edward’s Primary School at East Gosford in the late 1970s.

A further four victims from across NSW either came forward or were identified in the subsequent police investigation.

One of the victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 10 years old at the time and suffered abuse almost daily.

“I almost broke down when I heard the total of the charges was 17 years and three months and that was beaten down to six years and out in three,” he told the Express Advocate outside court.

“To get just three years added on, it doesn’t seem right.”

The victim said even Judge Jeffery McLennan conceded the penalty was inadequate, but that he had to sentence him in line with what Richards would have received at the time of the offences­.

“He said if the offences were committed now he would be facing 10-20 years (for) each,” he said.

“There was absolutely no remorse [by Richards] whatsoever.” Richards will be eligible for parole on December 15, 2019.

Richards was sentenced in the Downing Centre Court on Liverpool Street, Sydney.Source:News Corp Australia

In a separate, unrelated matter, a man will face Wyong Local Court next month after allegedly indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl at a Kanwal bus stop.

Police allege the girl was waiting for a bus shortly after 8am on December 12, when she was approached by an unknown man and indecently assaulted.

When she tried to leave the man grabbed her arm, but she was able to elbow him and break free. Child Abuse Squad officers launched an investigation, which led to the search of a house at Kanwal on Tuesday at 3.15pm.

During the search, officers seized a number of items and clothing. A 35-year-old man was arrested at the home and charged with aggravated indecent assault.

He was granted strict conditional bail to appear in court on January 18.

Originally published asBrother jailed for assaulting boys

 

 

 

 

 




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