MORTLAKE (AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC [Sydney, Australia]
October 19, 2022
By Lexie Jeuniewic ABC Ballarat
Prolific paedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale has been sentenced for the sexual abuse of two boys in western Victoria in the 1980s.
Key points:
- Gerald Francis Ridsdale has been sentenced for the seventh time
- Ridsdale pleaded guilty to 13 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two boys in the early 1980s
- The 88-year-old has previously admitted to dozens of charges relating to the abuse of 71 individuals
The 88-year-old appeared in the Warrnambool County Court on Wednesday afternoon via video link from Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat.
Ridsdale pleaded guilty in July to 13 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two teenage boys in 1981 and 1982, when they were aged under 16.
Ridsdale’s offending happened in the town of Mortlake, where he held the office of parish priest at the time.
Prosecution documents showed Ridsdale, then aged in his late 40s, told one of his young victims during a sexual assault that “no-one was going to believe him”.
Judge Claire Quin said Ridsdale “acted against the fundamental spiritual teachings of (the) church” when he committed the offences against the boys.
Judge Quin ordered Ridsdale to serve 6.5 years prison for the crimes.
Two of these years will be added to his current sentence for previous offences, bringing his total sentence to 39 years.
His non-parole period has also been extended to 2027.
The judge told Ridsdale it is “overwhelmingly likely you’ll die in custody”.
‘More than numbers’
Judge Quin told the court the men, who were Ridsdale’s 70th and 71st victims, were more than numbers.
“These are men whose lives have been ruined as a result of your actions,” she said.
The court heard one of the victims had described his life as being poisoned by Ridsdale.
Ridsdale refused to read the victims’ impact statements during sentencing submissions in September.
He held his head in his hands while details of the offences were read to the court, before pleading guilty to four charges of indecent assault and nine charges of sexual penetration of a person aged between 10 to 16.
The court heard Ridsdale had several health issues, including severe osteoarthritis, heart problems, and high blood pressure.
He is mostly bed-bound.
His defence counsel, Tim Marsh, said Ridsdale was often in a “great deal of pain” and was effectively in palliative care while in prison.
Wednesday marked the seventh time Ridsdale has been sentenced.
The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat, which includes 34 parishes including Mortlake, has been approached for comment.