Fighters Against Child Abuse Australia [F.A.C.A.A]Like Page 5 March at 14:30 ·
Stephen Farrell has been convicted of 15 sexual assaults against 5 children and will only serve a total of 4 months behind bars.
So this is our criminal justice system at work. Stephen Farrell a former Christian Brother at the now notorious St Alipius primary school in Ballarat Victoria, has been tried and convicted 3 times for 15 total counts of sexual abuse and molestation against 5 confirmed child victims, all of whom were under the age of 12, and the grand sum of time behind bars for his horrific shocking crimes ? …. 4 MONTHS !
Stephen Farrell, 66, was sentenced to 18 months jail, with 14 months suspended, for sexually abusing two students when he was a teacher at the notorious St Alipius Primary School. He has never previously been jailed for his crimes, despite this current case bringing his confirmed number of victims to five.
In 1997 he was given a two-year suspended sentence after being convicted of nine counts of indecent assault and a three-month suspended sentence in 2013 for another count of indecent assault. The sentence handed down in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court means he will now spend four months in prison.
Outside the court, Philip Nagle, who was one of the victims involved in the 1997 case, said it was a relief to see Farrell finally imprisoned.
"[I'm] very, very satisfied … and to see him being led away and put in the dock like the evil predator he is, was just great," he said.
"Farrell was absolutely running amok, he had a cubby house at the back of the classroom, so he could take kids down during class so he could sexually abuse and assault them.
"They were scary times, in a class of 33 … a lot of them committed suicide … they can't come here and testify and hold this guy accountable, that's part of the reason I'm here."
We at FACAA would like to applaud Phillip Nagle for his bravery and determination to bring this sick monster to justice. Sadly justice has not been served even slightly in this case like so many others. However your fight has not gone unnoticed. Your struggles have not gone unrewarded because you got a conviction despite his stupid defence attorney’s claim that “ He did nothing for 40 years and in fact became a good man”……
HELL NO ! GOOD MEN DO NOT SEXUALLY ASSAULT CHILDREN YOU MORON !
The court previously heard Farrell had not reoffended in the 40 years since leaving the Christian brotherhood and was "completely rehabilitated".
Magistrate Belinda Wallington said that although it seemed Farrell had been able to put the offending behind him and have a "successful life", it had had a devastating and sustained impact on his victims.
She described their testimony of the betrayal of their trust and its long-term effect as "heart-wrenching".
Mr Nagle said "the excuse" that the convicted paedophile had been good for 40 years had never "fit well" with him.
"The guy's got five victims and 15 convictions and he's going to do four months in jail," he said.
"We were little kids, nine or ten years of age, and they were very, very serious sex offences that he committed against us."
Magistrate Wallington said the maximum penalty at the time of Farrell's offending, which was five years jail for indecent assault, was relatively low.
To us that seems like a serious cop out by Magistrate Wallington. Seriously, who cares what the sentence back then was and even if you are using that as a guide 4 months is pathetic compared to 5 years ! You could have given 5 years based upon his previous repeated offences, but no you chose to give 4 months. PATHETIC DECISION JUDGE !
His survivors and the victims who didn't survive St Alipius, deserve so much more.
