Former Victorian Teacher Jailed for Abuse

By Caroline Schelle
Port News
March 10, 2020

https://www.portnews.com.au/story/6671085/former-victorian-teacher-jailed-for-abuse/

Pedophile teacher Kevin Myers molested schoolboys and then lied about his family dying to get sympathy from a Victorian judge.

The predator worked as a science teacher at Trinity College in Colac when he abused boys aged between 13 and 17 in the early 1980s.

The 74-year-old admitted sexually assaulting seven boys during his time at the Catholic school.

Myers claimed his wife and child died in a car accident, and that his sister died of bowel cancer.

But both these claims were "fabrications" to get sympathy, Victorian County Court Judge Gabriele Cannon revealed on Tuesday.

Myers has never been married.

Details of his offending left many of his victims in tears during the hearing.

One boy was ordered to drop his pants and was groped as Myers caned him for misbehaving in class. Another student woke up to Myers' molesting him on a trip to Wye River.

Family members became suspicious at the time and Myers fled town but didn't stop offending.

He abused two more teenage boys, aged 17 and 19, while working as as a head chef at a regional restaurant a decade later.

He was charged in 1998 over the abuse of one of the teens but fled and wasn't arrested until 2018, when he was extradited from Queensland.

The crimes were "manipulative and cruel", Judge Cannon said on Tuesday.

He attacked them when they were vulnerable, away from home, often asleep and gave them alcohol in a bid to ensure compliance, she said.

They were left ashamed and wracked with guilt for not coming forward but the judge told those in court they were courageous survivors.

"The only person who should feel ashamed is you, Mr Myers," she told the pedophile.

The judge said it was clear Myers had little insight into his offending and could potentially die in jail.

She jailed him for 15 years and he must serve at least 10 years before he is eligible for parole.