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	Priest Abused Boys over 10 Years: Court Sydney Morning Herald September 10, 2007 http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Priest-abused-boys-over-10-years-court/2007/09/10/1189276616261.html A Catholic priest, who sexually abused four boys over a period of more than 10 years, took one of his victims to Melbourne's Corpus Christi seminary to perform sex acts, a court has heard. Terence Melville Pidoto, 62, was initially charged with sex crimes in 1999 and spent 15 months in custody before charges were dropped when a victim could not face giving further evidence. But, on July 18, Pidoto was found guilty in the Victorian County Court of one count of rape, four counts of indecent assault on a male under 16, one count of buggery, one count of assault occasioning in actual bodily harm, one count of gross indecency and three counts of indecent assault. He will be sentenced on September 17. Pidoto, who pleaded not guilty, committed his crimes at several Melbourne locations, the court heard at his pre-sentence hearing. While Pidoto was an assistant parish priest at St Bede's in Balwyn North, he took a 14-year-old boy to the Corpus Christi seminary on several occasions in 1972 and 1973. The sex crimes at the seminary in Glen Waverley, in Melbourne's east, included penetration, Crown prosecutor John Champion SC told the court. More assaults on two 15-year-old boys took place at St Clare's Catholic parish in Box Hill from 1978 to 1979. The fourth victim, a 12-year-old boy, was first assaulted at an undisclosed Melbourne location in 1982. In the dock on Monday, Pidoto, who is now a disability pensioner caring for his elderly mother in Bacchus Marsh, wore headphones and closed his eyes for most of the hearing. Mr Champion said the crimes were serious, involved sexual penetration and had impacted on the victims over a long period of time. The Crown prosecutor said Pidoto should be "sentenced as a serious sexual offender" and be listed on the sexual crimes register. He said Pidoto had not shown genuine remorse for his crimes, despite a medical expert's tendered letter which stated: "He spoke of the need to make up for the harm that has occurred". "On all the material that appears before the court, there is no remorse that can be drawn on as a mitigating factor in this case," Mr Champion said. Defence counsel Ian Polak tendered letters to the court, showing that Pidoto had suffered depression since the legal action started and had proven to be a valuable contributor to his communities. "He has more than fulfilled his requirements as a priest - he has been trusted by many," Mr Polak said. But Mr Polak also said that there was evidence "some damage had been done". "All the good he may have done is undone by these acts," Judge Ross Howie said. Mr Polak said Pidoto's health had suffered while the court matters were "hanging over his head" for many years. "He is a man who has lost a lot of his reputation and self-esteem by these matters," Mr Polak said. In the pre-sentence hearing, school authorities and medical experts provided letters about Pidoto to the court. Victim impact statements were also lodged. Pidoto was remanded in custody before his sentencing in the County Court on Monday, September 17 at 10am (AEST).
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