Priest Pleads to Offences against Children

By Michael Inman
Canberra Times
May 1, 2014

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/priest-pleads-to-offences-against-children-20140501-zr2t4.html

A former Canberra Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to historical acts of indecency on young boys in Sydney the 1960s.

Moves to defrock Father Gregory David Rankin, 79, were started by the Jesuit Provincial – the head of the order in Australia - upon hearing of Wednesday’s pleas in the Downing Centre District Court.

Rankin was a lay teacher at Northbridge Primary School when he committed 11 acts of indecency on three boys in the 1960s.

He joined the priesthood in 1970 and there are no allegations he offended while giving service to the church.

Court documents said the defendant molested one boy after he volunteered to tutor the 11-year-old after school in late 1963.

The abuse continued at tri-weekly tutoring sessions the following year.

On one occasion, Rankin drove the boy to another school in Manly to commit an assault.

Rankin told the victim he loved him and gave him money on a number of occasions.

He swore the boy to secrecy, warning they would both “get into big trouble” if the incidents were discovered.

About the same time, the offender molested two other boys during rehearsals for school musicals.

Both of those victims gave statements to police in 2012, leading to Rankin’s arrest.

The other victim told a number of family members of the abuse, but did not report it to police until 2009.

Rankin joined the Jesuits in 1970 and was ordained in 1975, spending many years serving in Canberra, including most recently as a hospital chaplain.

Rankin was removed from active ministry after the Jesuits learned of charges against him when he was arrested in August 2012.

He was also placed on supervised, restricted access in the general community.

He moved to a Jesuit community in Victoria where he is under supervision in compliance with his bail conditions.

Jesuit Provincial in Australia, Father Steve Curtin, said Rankin would remain in the care of the order until he is sentenced.

Father Curtin said the Jesuits initially paid Rankin’s legal fees, but this financial support ceased when he received a grant of Legal Aid.

Rankin will appear for sentencing in June.