(AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC [Sydney, Australia]
October 19, 2023
By Lexie Jeuniewic
A notorious former Christian Brother has been sentenced for a second time after admitting to further historic abuse against boys at Catholic schools in Victoria.
Key points:
- John Laidlaw, 84, will likely die in jail after being sentenced over further abuse of students at Christian Brothers College schools
- Judge Helen Syme told the court Laidlaw’s crimes were an abuse of power and trust
- It is the second time Laidlaw has been sentenced over sexual offending against children
John Laidlaw, 84, appeared in the Melbourne County Court via video-link from prison today, after pleading guilty to nine charges — including indecent assault — arising from offending against students between 1966 and 1990.
During that time, Laidlaw was a teacher at a variety of Christian Brothers College (CBC) schools, including St Joseph’s at Warrnambool and St Kevin’s at Toorak, Melbourne.
The victims, who cannot be identified, were referred by Judge Helen Syme using pseudonyms.
The court heard the victims were subjected to Laidlaw’s abuse at a secluded part of their school campus.
Judge Syme sentenced him to seven years and six months jail, with a non-parole period of three years.
Laidlaw, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, was told he would likely die in jail.
A breach of trust
The court heard distressing detail of Laidlaw’s prolific offending, including an occasion when a victim was given a “pseudo-massage” by Laidlaw during school hours.
The incident resulted in the boy being “paralysed with fear”.
“You breached the trust of the children and the trust they had in you,” the judge said.
“You had a moral authority over them, they felt compelled to comply with your direction.”
Each of the victims submitted victim impact statements outlining the immediate and ongoing impact of Laidlaw’s crimes.
‘Callous indifference’
In 2019, Laidlaw was jailed four and a half years for sexually abusing six boys over two decades, with the offending Christian Brother jailed for abusing boys.
In his sentencing remarks at the time, Judge Peter Berman said Laidlaw had seriously harmed many children in his care.
“Your callous indifference to his suffering is remarkable,” Judge Berman said.
Laidlaw was a Christian Brother from 1957 through to 2019, when he was sentenced.