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	'He's a Monster': Victims Vent Fury at Paedophile Christian Brother Teacher By Andrea Petrie The Age July 25, 2011 http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/hes-a-monster-victims-vent-fury-at-paedophile-christian-brother-teacher-20110725-1hwm1.html Victims of a Christian Brother who sexually abused 11 boys in his care at three Victorian schools, have spoken about the impact of the sexual assaults on their lives at his pre-sentence plea hearing. Several of his victims are also pursuing civil action against him for the pain and suffering he has caused and also plan to issue common law writs against organisations including the church and the schools involved. In a victim impact statement read to the County Court yesterday, one man, now in his 30s, also accused the Catholic Church of being complicit in the disgraced priest's crimes, which occurred between 1969 and 1988. Despite initially denying the abuse, Robert Charles Best, 70, was convicted by six juries and later pleaded guilty to several similar charges, including the buggery of a nine-year-old. In total, he is to be sentenced for one count of buggery, 24 counts of unlawful and indecent assault of boys aged under 16 and two counts of aggravated indecent assault. His victims were aged between seven and 13. All charges relate to when Best was working as a teacher — and in some cases was the principal — at St Alipius Primary School in Ballarat between 1963 and 1973, St Leo's christian College, Box Hill, between 1975 and 1985, and St Joseph's College, Geelong, from 1985 to 1988. At his pre-sentence hearing, a victim described him as "a monster" and blamed him for his anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, drug and alcohol problem and an attempted suicide. "This bastard robbed me of a normal life and the simple pleasures that come with it," he said. He told the court he was constantly angry, suffered flashbacks, struggled to form close relationships and felt "like crap most of the time". "The church's support of this monster throughout his career and later during his defence, demonstrates complicity in the assault," he told the court, which was packed with victims and their relatives. "The church's and RB's dogged defence of their crimes has worked to rub salt into the wounds they inflicted. This denial is an affront to justice, by a supposedly just church [and] is deeply offensive to me. It's disgusting." He added that "A serious sentence to RB is a much-needed slap in the face to this ignorant and arrogant institution." One of Best's victims recalled being raped by him when he was in Grade 3 and was struck twice by another Christian Brother when he told him about the abuse. He replied that "nothing happened, sir" a third time to avoid being hit again, prosecutor Amanda Forrester said. Another victim was given a "backhander" by a priest when he told him about Bests's abuse, and was told: "If you tell anyone what happened I will f***ing kill you", Ms Forrester said. Some of his victims described the impact of the abuse as "catastrophic" and said his actions were "calculating, deliberate and grotesque". Best was also called a "sadistic predator... a bully and a f***ing pervert". Personal messages were delivered to Best too, after the men spoke of how his offending led to broken relationships, suicide attempts, alcoholism and drug abuse and inability to form proper relationships. One told him: "You disgust me". Another said: "You are evil, a coward and above all else, you are guilty". Ms Forrester detailed how Best had inappropriately touched the victims, rubbed their genitals, raped them and in some cases told the boys they were dirty, which led to a life-long complex about cleanliness. Best also forced other boys to take part in the abuse and the court heard other priests were aware of his offending. On one occasion, when a Christian Brother walked into a room where Best was raping a boy and forcing another boy to participate. The priest said "Oh" and chuckled before he closed the door and left the room. Ms Forrester called for a head sentence of 14 to 16 years and a non-parole period of 11 to 13 years for his "completely abhorrent" crimes, which she said were "nothing short of devastating" for his victims. He also had no empathy for his victims and showed no remorse, she added. Forensic psychologist Patrick Newton testified that there was no psychological deficit that would cause Best's offending and told the hearing his risk of re-offending was in the "moderate to high range". But Best's defence lawyer Sarah Leighfield urged Judge Roy Punshon to be more lenient and take into account the fact that that Best may not live to be released considering his age, his guilty pleas and the fact there had been 23 years since his last offending. She said he was also in remission for prostate cancer and there was a risk of a recurrence, and he had on-going difficulties with his eyes. Best — who showed no emotion during the hearing and refused to look at his victims — will be sentenced on August 8. Dr Vivian Waller, from Waller Legal, is handling civil action on behalf of several of Best's victims.
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