Ex-priest David Edwin Rapson Jailed for "Heartless" Sex Abuse of Students

By Pia Akerman
The Australian
October 17, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/ex-priest-david-edwin-rapson-jailed-for-heartless-sex-abuse-of-students/story-e6frg6nf-1226741571398

David Edwin Rapson at the time of his committal hearing last year. Source: News Limited

A FORMER Catholic priest who inflicted brutal and "heartless" sexual abuse upon students at a Melbourne school has been sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

David Edwin Rapson, 60, showed no emotion as Victorian County Court judge Liz Gaynor today described the rape and assault he had inflicted on eight students at the Catholic school, which cannot be identified.

Judge Gaynor said Rapson had abused the power of his position as he rose to become a senior staff member while attacking the students between 1973 to 1990.

"It was brazen, it was manipulative and it was heartless," she said. "These were dreadful crimes.

"You have shown not one shred of remorse."

Rapson has been convicted of five charges of rape and eight counts of indecent assault.

Judge Gaynor said he had caused terrible pain to one victim in particular whose testicle was torn after Rapson grabbed him during a vicious rape.

Rapson was sentenced previously to two years' imprisonment in 1992 for indecent assault of another boy, but only served two months after receiving a favourable report from a psychosexual analyst.

He was defrocked and excommunicated in 1993.

Judge Gaynor said physical and sexual abuse suffered by Rapson during his childhood paled into insignificance compared with what he inflicted on his victims, and his "unrelenting sexual exploitation" of his victims had been a predatory and incalculable breach of trust.

He would ply the boys with alcohol before abusing them, using lemonade and Milo that were secretly spiked.

Rapson was sentenced to 13 years in prison, with 10 years to serve before he is eligible for parole.