Brother Best Victims Tell of Sex Abuse Trauma, The Courier, July 25, 2011

Brother Best Victims Tell of Sex Abuse Trauma

The Courier
July 25, 2011

http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/brother-best-victims-tell-of-sex-abuse-trauma/2237419.aspx

Former Christian Brother Robert Charles Best.

"A SADISTIC predator" is how a victim has described the Christian Brother who abused him along with multiple other boys at schools in three cities, including Ballarat, between 1969 and 1988.

Several of Robert Charles Best's 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, accused the Catholic Church of being complicit about Best's crimes.

Another victim said: "You are evil, a coward and above all else, you are guilty".

Despite initially denying the abuse, 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 Christian Brothers 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.

"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."

Another victim was given a "backhander" by a priest when he told him about Best's abuse, and was told: "If you tell anyone what happened I will f---ing kill you'," prosecutor Amanda 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 ...". Personal messages were delivered to Best too, with one victim telling him: "You disgust me".

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. Best also forced other boys to take part in the abuse and the court heard other priests were aware of his offending.

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.

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 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.

Best will be sentenced on August 8.