Ridsdale Admits Catholic Church Should Have Reported Him to Police

ABC
May 28, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2015/s4244469.htm

MARK COLVIN: A warning this report contains information you may find disturbing.

The convicted paedophile Gerald Ridsdale has told the royal commission he's sorry Catholic Church officials didn't report his behaviour to the police because it would have saved "so many" children.

The royal commission has heard that Ridsdale's offending first came to the attention of a bishop in 1961 but he was left to assault possibly hundreds of victims over the next three decades.

The inquiry was told today one of Ridsdale's victims believed that another priest saw him attacking her in the early 1970s but didn't intervene.

Samantha Donovan reports.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Gerald Ridsdale's victims live with the knowledge that if someone in the Catholic Church had reported him to police when his offending first became known, they would have been safe, something the convicted paedophile acknowledged at the royal commission today.

Chairman Peter McClellan.

PETER MCCLELLAN: Do you accept that someone with your issue should never have been a priest?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes I accept that your honour.

PETER MCCLELLAN: What should have been in place with the church to stop you becoming a priest?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Oh, there should have been a better screening process, a psychological process that was much more thorough than anything that was conducted then.

PETER MCCLELLAN: If, when you first discussed your offending behaviour with the bishop, he'd gone to the police, that would have brought it to an end wouldn't it, as far as your role in the church was concerned?

GERALD RIDSDALE: It would have, and I'm now sorry that it didn't. It would have saved so many others, that's right. I would have gone to jail.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The royal commission heard one of Ridsdale's victims gave evidence to Victoria's County Court that when she was assaulted by him as a 12 or 13-year-old, in about 1972 or 1973 in the East Ballarat Presbytery, another priest saw part of the attack.

Gail Furness SC read from the judge's sentencing remarks.

GAIL FURNESS: This complainant believes another priest was present for a short time while you were sexually assaulting her, and must have been aware of the assault, but did not intervene.

You generally assaulted boys and not girls, didn't you?

GERALD RIDSDALE: That's right.

GAIL FURNESS: There were very few girls that you sexually assaulted.

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes, yes.

GAIL FURNESS: She refers to her being in your bedroom to look at your rock collection, and you were living in the presbytery from 1972 to 1973, weren't you?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes.

GAIL FURNESS: Who were you living with?

GERALD RIDSDALE: I said I didn't remember any of these priests who were there with me, but you tell me that George Pell was there at the same time so I have to accept that.

GAIL FURNESS: You accept that when you assaulted this child in your bedroom that at the presbytery there could well have been the presence of another priest?

GERALD RIDSDALE: There could have been, yes. There probably would have been.

GAIL FURNESS: And therefore, as described here, another priest may well have been present for a short time while you were sexually assaulting her?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Well, yes, yes.

GAIL FURNESS: Can you help us with who was the priest?

GERALD RIDSDALE: I don't know because as I've said, I don't know who the other priests were there at the same time, except George Pell.

GAIL FURNESS: And it would have been-

GERALD RIDSDALE: I have no idea, Miss. Miss, I have no idea of the priests who were there with me at Ballarat East.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Ridsdale accepted when told that the clerics living with him in presbytery in 1972 were Monsignor W. McMahon and Fathers McInerney and O'Connell. And in 1973 his fellow residents were Monsignor McMahon and Father George Pell.

Yesterday Ridsdale told the commission he believed his barrister asked George Pell to give him a character reference in court in 1993.

Today he changed his evidence under questioning by Gail Furness SC.

GAIL FURNESS: You approached Father Pell to give evidence on your behalf?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes, I must have.

GAIL FURNESS: And when you approached him you told him what the charges were, didn't you?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes, he would have known that. But Miss, I just don't remember.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Both the commission chairman and counsel assisting had less patience today with Ridsdale's inability to remember events and conversations.

Peter McClellan appeared concerned about Ridsdale's evidence.

PETER MCCLELLAN: You spoke with me in a private hearing some weeks ago didn't you?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Yes, in Ararat.

PETER MCCLELLAN: Had you spoken to anyone about the evidence you might give in that hearing before you came to that private hearing?

GERALD RIDSDALE: No, I spoke to no one about it. I was told not to.

PETER MCCLELLAN: Since that private hearing have you spoken to anyone about the evidence you might give in this public hearing?

GERALD RIDSDALE: No.

PETER MCCLELLAN: Have you had any phone calls with anyone you might've discussed the evidence?

GERALD RIDSDALE: No I haven't.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Ridsdale told the commission people can't phone him in jail, but he can make calls.

He gave evidence the only people he rings are his sister, his solicitor and two priests.

And the only visit he can recall since his March private meeting with Justice McClellan was a priest.

PETER MCCLELLAN: By the way, you'll appreciate there will be a record of the people who have been to see you in jail don't you?

GERALD RIDSDALE: Oh yes, and also the people that I've phoned.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Lawyers for Ridsdale's victims didn't cross examine him.

Counsel for the Catholic Church indicated they need more time to prepare the questions they want to put to him, so he'll be recalled to the witness box later this year.

The Bishop of Ballarat Paul Bird will give his evidence to the royal commission tomorrow.

MARK COLVIN: Samantha Donovan.