Ridsdale Questioned over More Abuse Claims

By Jared Lynch
The Age
May 31, 2013

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ridsdale-questioned-over-more-abuse-claims-20130530-2neh1.html

Gerald Ridsdale. Photo: Geoff Ampt

Police have interviewed convicted paedophile Catholic priest Gerard Ridsdale after more people came forward with allegations of abuse.

It is understood detectives from Taskforce Sano interviewed Ridsdale, 79, on Thursday afternoon.

The investigation comes as the Adult Parole Board told victims in a letter that Ridsdale could be released as soon as June 29.

Ridsdale was convicted of abusing more than 30 victims. But a woman whose sons were abused by him said the paedophile's sister told her he had confessed to raping or molesting hundreds of children.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Natalie Webster confirmed detectives applied to Melbourne Magistrates Court to interview a 79-year-old Victorian man, ''in relation to historical child sexual abuse matters … in the 1960s and '70s, when he was working as a Catholic priest''.

''As the investigation is ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment further,'' Ms Webster said.

Ridsdale was sentenced in 2006 to a maximum 13 years' jail, a term that would expire in 2019. He was already serving a maximum 18-year term from 1994.

As many as 26 Victorians committed suicide after being abused by Ridsdale and Christian Brother Robert Best.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has released the names of nearly 30 Melbourne priests it says are guilty of sexually abusing children.

The list of 29 priests includes offenders Father Desmond Gannon and Father Kevin O’Donnell, according to ABC News.

O’Donnell raped the two primary school-aged daughters of Anthony and Christine Foster. One later committed suicide.

The release of the list follows evidence by Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart last week to the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child abuse that the church had paid compensation to victims of at least 50 Melbourne priests.

According to the ABC, the church says it will not name the remaining priests because several were dead when allegations were made and they were not able to respond to them.

The church has also withheld the names of clergy not charged after police investigations.