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	Christian Brother Jailed for Sex Abuse Sydney Morning Herald [Australia] March 29, 2007 http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Christian-Brother-jailed-for-sex-abuse/2007/03/29/1174761657749.html A former Christian Brothers teacher who sexually abused three young boys on camping trips in Western Australia has been jailed for two-and-a-half years. Graeme James Down, 56, also a former Fire and Emergency Services Authority employee in Kununurra, was sentenced on Thursday in the WA District Court after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting three of his pupils at Perth's St Marks College between 1981 and 1983. Prosecutor Caroline Brookes said Down first abused an 11-year-old boy in the winter of 1981 after the child injured himself playing hockey. Luring the child into his manual arts block office, Down got the boy to strip so he could massage the 11-year-old's thigh, she said. "He massaged the thigh, coming into contact with the boy's testicles on a number of occasions," Ms Brookes said. Down repeated the massage in his office a week later, this time rubbing the boy's penis and testicles, she said. She said the boy was also assaulted in a tent on a camping trip, during which Down was the only adult, when the child woke to find Down holding his penis. Ms Brookes said Down also assaulted in the same manner, two other boys, aged under 14, while on school camping trips. Down's lawyer Rob Nash said his client had "woken up" to his inappropriate behaviour after a complaint in 1984, which had been dealt with by the Christian Brothers college. Down sought counselling from a priest in Sydney and had rehabilitated himself, Nash said. "He did express his deep shame and remorse," Mr Nash said. Judge Andrew Stavrianou told Down sexual offences were very serious and his actions had a devastating impact on the three young men. He sentenced Down to 30 months jail and made him eligible for parole after 15 months.
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