By Aleks Devic
Geelong Advertiser
July 26, 2011
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2011/07/26/269691_news.html
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| NO REMORSE: Convicted paedophile Robert Charles Best faced his victims yesterday at a pre-sentence hearing for sex-related offences against 11 boys. |
A FORMER St Joseph's College student sexually abused by a Christian brother at the Geelong school yesterday told his tormentor he was a "monster" and "sadistic predator" who ruined his life.
Robert Charles Best remained outwardly unfazed as his victims looked him in the eye at the County Court and detailed the impact of his "cruel" and "abhorrent" conduct at three schools in Geelong, Ballarat and Box Hill between the 1960s and 1980s.
Best hand-picked the victims he deemed most vulnerable, including a disabled boy, and inflicted sex acts upon them at school camps, swimming lessons, on the football field, in classrooms and his office.
The court was told 70-year-old Best would most likely die in jail after he is sentenced for committing 27 sex-related offences against 11 victims, including one of buggery of a nine-year-old that carries a maximum 20-year prison term.
Best's St Joseph's victim was 11 years old when Best sexually abused him on two occasions at the Newtown school in 1986 in front of another Christian brother, referred to in court as "Brother W", and when the child asked if he could tell his parents he was told: "No. This is our secret."
The victim emotionally read his victim impact statement to a packed courtroom, detailing how Best's crimes caused him to become suicidal, isolated and unable to form relationships with females.
"I can't refer to this monster by his name. I'll call him RB," he said.
"I was a defenceless 11-year-old boy. This bastard robbed me of a normal life and the simple pleasures that came with it. I'm so angry at him. I hate feeling like this. I despise him."
The victim, now in his 30s, also took a swipe at the Catholic Church for funding Best's defence at five criminal trials where he was found guilty of sex acts.
"The church's support of this monster throughout his career and later during his defence, demonstrates complicity in the assault," 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.
"Make the church reel with a heavy sentence on this sadistic predator. He's a bully and a f---kin' pervert. His Christianity doesn't mean a thing."
Crown prosecutor Amanda Forrester said a sentence of up to 16 years was required to protect the community from Best and punish him.
"The conduct was predatory, calculated and involved a pattern of behaviour including victim selection which at all levels was completely abhorrent. It was brazen and often public," she said.
She said Best was regarded as a strict disciplinarian and his conduct was "cruel" and "manipulative".
"He certainly ruled with an iron fist. He employed brutal and sadistic methods. He abused trust in the most heinous manner," she said.
But Best's defence lawyer Sarah Lighfield said her client's prison term should not exceed 13 years and asked Judge Roy Punshon to "exercise mercy".
"There is some doubt if he may live to be released," she said.
The court was told Best showed no remorse.
During the pre-sentence hearing yesterday, Best was unmoved as his victims broke down and were unable to read their statements.
Victims from Ballarat's St Alipius and at Box Hill's St Leo's Christian College detailed a life of drug abuse, alcoholism, fractured relationships and depression caused by Best's actions.
One victim sobbed as details of him being hit and told "if you tell anyone what happened I'll f---ng kill you" by a priest he went to confide in.
Ms Forrester said other priests and Christian brothers knew of the abuse and were present when it occurred.
Best remains in custody and will be sentenced on August 8.
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