Paedophile Brother Francis Cable Jailed over Sexual Abuse of Marist Brothers Students

By Paul Bibby
Sydney Morning Herald
June 18, 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPPP86G5PAohttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/paedophile-brother-francis-cable-jailed-over-sexual-abuse-of-marist-brothers-students-20150618-ghr5hu.html

One of the state's worst Catholic school paedophiles, who brutally raped and assaulted at least 17 vulnerable boys over the course of 15 years, is set to die in jail after being sentenced to a maximum of 16 years' jail.

The victims of Francis William Cable and their relatives let out a cheer of vindication as the 83-year-old was sentenced in the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday.

Cable used his position as a technical drawing teacher and class master at the Marist Brothers Catholic school in Maitland and its sister school in the Sydney suburb of Pagewood to repeatedly abuse vulnerable students under his authority between 1960 and 1974.

Paedophile Francis Cable, also known as Brother Romuald, has been jailed for 16 years for raping and abusing 17 boys. Photo: Darren Pateman

The boys were repeatedly fondled, anally raped and forced to give the teacher oral sex.

Cable, known at the schools by his religious name, Brother Romuald, would threaten the students with physical violence, expulsion and social isolation if they reported his crimes, which he frequently justified by reference to quasi religious doctrine.

"You have the mark of the devil on you and I need to get the devil out of you and this is how I have to do it," Cable told one of his victims after brutally raping him.

John Dunn, a sex assault victim of Francis Cable after the 83-year-old paedophile's jail sentencing on Thursday. Photo: Brendan Esposito

He told another boy: "you won't say anything ... you're evil ... people will be ashamed of you".

The victims did not report the abuse until decades later when one of them, Terry Skippen, came forward to police.

It was the catalyst for a long-running police investigation which led a further 16 victims to come forward.

Victims of child sex abuse by Francis Cable with their family members and other supporters outside court on Thursday morning. Photo: Brendan Esposito

Cable was convicted at trial earlier this year and subsequently admitted to a further 11 indecent assaults which were taken into account by Judge Peter Whitford when sentencing.

On Thursday Judge Whitford described Cable's crimes as "abominable"

"It's impossible to conceive that the offender had any motivation beyond his own sexual gratification, which he pursued without any consideration for the childhood, innocence, and future of his victims," Judge Whitford said.

He sentenced Cable to a maximum of 16 years jail with a non-parole period of eight years in accordance with the laws in place at the time of the offending when sentences for child sex abuse were much lighter.

Cable is technically eligible for parole in March 2023 but, given he is suffering from a number of serious medical conditions, including heart disease, he is unlikely ever to be released.

Speaking after the sentencing and agreeing to waive his right to anonymity as a sexual assault victim, Mr Skippen encouraged other child sex abuse victims come forward.

"It's never too late," Mr Skippen said.

"The perpetrator in this case thought that at 83 he was going to get away with it and now he's going to spend at least eight years in jail."

"It's a fantastic result."

John Dunn, a fellow survivor of Cable's abuse, who also wavied his right to anonymity, said: "It's a victory, but it's a battle in the war. I needed to be here today - I needed to hear the door slam shut but this whole process has just been vile and today is basically the first day of the rest of my life."