Paedophile Priest Vincent Ryan Released on Parole from Long Bay Prison

By Mark Reddie
Australian Broadcasting Corporation News
July 21, 2020

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-21/paedophile-priest-vincent-ryan-leaves-long-bay-prison/12475508

Notorious paedophile priest Vince Ryan has walked free on parole from a Sydney jail having served less than half of his sentence behind bars for the historic sexual abuse of two altar boys in the NSW Hunter region.

The Catholic priest, who worked in the Newcastle-Maitland diocese, served 14 months of a three-year sentence for the crimes committed against two boys at the end of last century.

The 82-year-old was picked up by a driver in a white Toyota Corolla and driven out of the gates at Long Bay Jail at 6:00am, before being taken to his accommodation at an undisclosed location in Sydney.

A spokesperson for Newcastle Bishop Bill Wright insisted the Catholic Church would not be financially supporting Ryan even though there was no attempt to strip him of his priesthood.

Survivor Gerard McDonald said he was "outraged" by a decision to grant Ryan parole after a sentencing judge found "positive prospects for rehabilitation".

"It's just disgusting that he's still a priest let alone he's getting out early — I'm very anxious and fearful," Mr McDonald said.

Survivor Gerard McDonald was "outraged" by a decision to grant Ryan parole.(ABC News: Anthony Scully)

Ryan already served 14 years behind bars for the sexual abuse of 35 boys, aged six to 14, between 1972 and 1991, but has never shown any remorse or apologised for his crimes.

"He's a very smart, calculating paedophile priest — I wake up every day that's why I got my arms tattooed to make people realise this is a scar children carry for life," Mr McDonald said.

The 55-year-old lives with his wife and son in Newcastle with his three dogs and has two tattoos on his arms.

One reads "Survivor", the other says "My family and friends save me".

Mr McDonald again called for the Vatican to strip Ryan of his priesthood and encouraged anyone who had been the victim of clergy abuse to contact police.

"If you have been a victim of any person when you were young, for your own safety and sake, come forward. You will be believed," he said.

Ryan has been banned from living in the Hunter region and as part of his parole conditions, must stay away from anyone under the age of 16 and anyone he sexually abused as a child.

He will be subject to 24/7 surveillance while wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet and is required to regularly report to a parole officer, who he must inform if he creates a social media account.

If Ryan breaches any of those conditions, he will be arrested and will likely return to Long Bay Jail, where he has spent most of his time in the Metropolitan Special Programs Complex for elderly inmates.