Former Catholic brother, Frank Keating, sentenced to six years jail for abusing students on school grounds
A former Catholic brother who brazenly abused students on school grounds, including in a classroom, could be released from prison after serving 20 months behind bars.
WARNING: This story contains details of child sexual abuse which may cause distress.
Frank Terrence Keating committed the offences against five students while he was working as a teacher and then principal at De La Salle College in Scarborough, in south-east Queensland, in the early 1980s.
On Friday, the Brisbane District Court heard Keating also sexually abused a student in his bedroom during a prayer meeting at his parents' home after telling them, "he wanted to say goodnight".
On another occasion, he abused a young girl on the school minibus, and at the movies during a school excursion.
During sentencing, Judge Paul Smith said the offending has had a "profound and lasting impact on some of the children".
"It seems to have ruined their lives," he said.
The court heard that one of the victim-survivors came forward in 2019 after he had seen the child sexual abuse royal commission.
The 81-year-old previously pleaded guilty to 17 charges including indecent dealing and indecent treatment of a child and carnal knowledge of a child under the age of 16.
Keating has been sentenced previously in Queensland and Victoria for similar offences.
Judge Smith said Keating had committed a total of 63 offences involving 35 children over about 20 years.
"You have committed offences against children over a long period of time," he said.
The court previously heard Keating had completed the sex offender program in prison and had taken steps to avoid offending, which included not attending his wife's 80th birthday because there was a risk of children being present.
Keating was sentenced to six years jail with a non-parole period of 20 months.
He will be eligible for release on April 1, 2026.
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