By David Lewis
ABC News
June 30, 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/01/2942049.htm?section=justin
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| Final submissions: John Sidney Denham pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 39 children |
A Sydney court has heard a former priest who sexually abused 39 young boys preyed on them because he felt sorry for them.
John Sidney Denham pleaded guilty to sexually abusing the boys at schools in Sydney, Newcastle, other parts of the Hunter Valley and Taree.
Lawyers are making their final submissions to judge Helen Syme as she considers his sentence for the offences, which date back to 1968.
Denham has described himself as a "mere scumbag paedophile".
The 67-year-old told the District Court that he spent the past 25 years trying to figure out why he did it.
He was unable to offer an explanation for his behaviour but said it may have been motivated by hubris, telling the court, "It was as if I thought no-one could resist me".
The court heard Denham was aroused by children he took pity on.
His psychiatrist, Dr Olav Neilsen, told the court Denham had a low risk of reoffending because of his age.
But he said while some offenders were able to stop engaging in paedophilic behaviour, very few lost the desire to do so.
Denham said it had been 25 years since his last offence.
He apologised to the victims and their families.
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