Pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale ‘likely to die in prison’, by Tessa Akerman, Australian (August 31, 2017)

Australia’s worst pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale could leave prison in just five years after a Victorian County Court judge added three years to his jail term this morning

However, Judge Irene Lawson said Ridsdale had been in custody since August 1994 and it was increasingly likely the 83-year-old would die in prison.

Sentencing Ridsdale over a further 23 charges, Judge Lawson said; “You are now an elderly man with no hope of a productive life.”

She said since the time Ridsdale was first arrested more than 20 years ago, he had made no disclosures or confessions of his offending.

Judge Lawson said Ridsdale has been convicted of 161 charges against 65 victims over a 27 year period following his ordination in 1961.

She described his offending as “grave and protracted” against victims who because of their respective ages were all completely blameless.

She said his current age and physical frailty limited the prospects of Ridsdale reoffending but she was unable to find there was no risk of further offending.

Ridsdale was ordained as a priest in July 1961 after training at Corpus Christi in Werribee and then travelling overseas.

“Your appalling pattern of offending was quickly established following your ordination,” Judge Lawson said.

She sentenced him in relation to 23 charges against 12 victims including indecent assault and rape.

She said he told one victim that what he did was “God’s secret” and another that if they told anyone their father, who was in hospital, would die.

Judge Lawson said Ridsdale knew no boundaries, abusing children in the confessional and robing room.

“Each of the complainants were vulnerable and exploited by you for your own gratification,” she said.

Judge Lawson said the children’s families revered and respected him as God’s representative on earth.

“Their childhoods have been blighted and their later lives affected,” she said.

“Many of the victims have had their faith in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church destroyed.”

Judge Lawson sentenced Ridsdale to 11 years, with a new non-parole period of eight years effective from 8 April 2014.