'Your conduct plumbs the depths ..., by Emily Crane, Daily Mail (UK) (May 26, 2014)

'Your conduct plumbs the depths ...

By Emily Crane
Daily Mail (UK)
May 26, 2014

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2639294/Your-conduct-plummets-depths-evil-hypocrisy-Judge-breaks-TEARS-sentencing-paedophile-priest-10-years-jail-abusing-boys-nine-year-period.html

Paedophile priest: Frank Klep, 70, has been jailed for 10 years for sexually abusing 15 schoolboys at Salesian College Rupertswood in Sunbury more than 30 years ago

Choking back tears: Judge Frank Gucciardo had to briefly leave the courtroom after describing the impact of Frank Klep's abuse during his sentencing on Monday morning

Position of trust: Klep, who was a priest, teacher and for a time principal at Salesian College, abused the boys between 1974 and 1983

'Your conduct plumbs the depths of evil hypocrisy': Judge breaks down in TEARS and has to leave court during sentencing of paedophile priest who abused 15 boys

A judge was forced to halt his sentencing of a Victorian paedophile priest after he became visibly upset while speaking about his 'evil’ crimes.

Judge Frank Gucciardo choked back tears and had to briefly leave the courtroom after describing the impact of Frank Klep's abuse of 15 schoolchildren during his sentencing on Monday morning.

He remained outside the courtroom for several minutes before he came back in, apologised and continued to hand down the sentence.

Klep, 70, was jailed for 10 and a half years after preying on sick and vulnerable boys while running the infirmary at Salesian College Rupertswood in Sunbury more than 30 years ago.

'The young men you have abused were broken by your conduct,’ Judge Gucciardo said.

'There is no doubt your conduct plummets (sic) the depths of evil hypocrisy.’

Klep, who was a priest, teacher and for a time principal at the school, abused the boys between 1974 and 1983.

He often targeted boys who had been sent to the school's infirmary and once pinned a boy down on a bed and raped him.

Klep even told one of his victims that what he was doing was 'natural’ after the boy questioned him.

Judge Gucciardo said Klep knew his position of authority as a priest and teacher would prevent his victims from coming forward and the boys who did try to tell their parents were not believed.

He said Klep used vulnerable young men for his 'vile sexual gratification’.

Klep pleaded guilty to 15 counts of indecent assault, buggery, attempted buggery and rape.

Broken Rites researcher Dr Bernard Barrett said Klep was inflicted upon his victims as the Catholic Church looked the other way.

'It's not just what he did with his left hand or his right hand, it's what he was allowed to do,’ he told reporters outside court.

'Their parents trusted the church in those days. Those days are gone.’

At a plea hearing last month, defence barrister Julie Sutherland said Klep had a spectacular fall from grace and had become a pariah who was known as 'the paedophile priest’ wherever he went.

Klep has twice before been convicted sexually abusing children.

He was previously convicted of child sex crimes in 1994 and placed on an intensive corrections order.

Klep was defrocked in 2006.