AUSTRALIA
The Standard

By JOEL CRESSWELL March 19, 2014

One of Australia’s worst paedophile priests told victims they were “God’s little angel” and that his abuse was “the Lord’s work”.

Former Catholic priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale has pleaded guilty to 30 charges, including 28 counts of indecent assault on children in Victoria’s Western District, between 1961 and 1980.

Ridsdale, 79, abused children as young as four, and assaulted 11 boys and three girls after befriending them and their families.

One of his victims said Ridsdale hid behind the Catholic Church as he abused.

“I trusted you Gerald Ridsdale, you represented God and all that is good,” she said, reading her victim impact statement to the Victorian County Court yesterday.