Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale sentenced to 10 years' jail for sexual abuse of boys in 1970s
Paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale will spend at least another three years in jail after pleading guilty to 14 new offences committed against young boys under his care.
Some of the offences happened during Confession or while reading Bible passages.
"Your sexual abuse, at times when the child was seeking comfort, reveals your utter hypocrisy," the sentencing Judge Gerard Mullaly said.
"They were vulnerable children and you simply used them and violated them for your perverse sexual gratification."
Ridsdale has been in prison since 1994 and was already serving a 33-year sentence for abusing more than 60 children in Victoria, but his non-parole period was due to expire in 2022.
He pleaded guilty to 14 sexual offences against four boys between 1970 and 1979, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but some of that sentence will be served concurrently.
The new sentence effectively extends the 85-year-old's prison term to 36 years and changes his non-parole period to 2025.
His defence counsel had argued that no additional imprisonment was required because of Ridsdale's advanced age, ill health and guilty plea.
The former priest appeared via videolink with a walker beside him, and also suffers from high blood pressure and arthritis.
He has also had a heart bypass an...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director