Vince Ryan, Brother Romuald Fresh Abuse Charges Mentioned in Court

By Sam Rigney
Newcastle Herald
April 27, 2017

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4624957/priest-brother-not-in-court/

A CONVICTED Catholic paedophile priest and a convicted Hunter Marist Brother each charged with fresh child sex offences dating back to the early 1970s have had their matters mentioned in court for the first time.

Vincent Gerard Ryan, 79, of Ryde, has been charged with six fresh offences against three alleged victims between 1973 and 1991.

ACCUSED: Vincent Gerard Ryan leaving Newcastle courthouse. He has been charged with six offences relating to allegations between 1973 and 1991.

ACCUSED: Vincent Gerard Ryan leaving Newcastle courthouse. He has been charged with six offences relating to allegations between 1973 and 1991.

He did not appear in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday and his solicitor, Sally Rostron, did not enter pleas to three charges of indecent assault on a male, two counts of sexual assault with a person under 16 years of age and attempted sexual intercourse with a child between 10 and 16.

Detectives allege the offences occurred at The Junction between 1973 and 1974 and Cessnock between 1987 and 1991, court documents state.

The Catholic priest, commonly known as Vince Ryan, has previously spent more than 14 years in jail for preying on 35 boys aged six to 14 between 1972 and 1991.

He was released from Long Bay Correctional Centre in 2010.

But Mr Ryan was charged again in 2014 with seven offences relating to one boy from the mid-1980s.

He pleaded guilty to three offences on the eve of his trial and in October last year was placed on a 15-month suspended sentence.

While Francis William Athol Cable, better known as Hunter Marist Brother Romuald, was not required to appear on the audio visual link from Long Bay Correctional Centre on Thursday.

He has been charged with 16 fresh offences against five alleged victims at Hamilton, Bar Beach, Shortland and Merewether between 1971 and 1974.

His solicitor did not enter any pleas to 13 offences of indecent assault on a male and one count of solicit male or incite male to commit indecent act.

Mr Cable, 84, was sentenced to a maximum of 16 years in jail in 2015 for child sex offences against 19 boys.

Mr Ryan’s matters were adjourned to June 21, while Mr Cable will next appear in court on June 7.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will prosecute both matters.