EX-VIC Christian Bro "May Die in Jail"

9 News
May 5, 2016

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/05/05/12/56/ex-vic-christian-bro-s-sex-crimes-court

A former Christian Brother could die in jail over sex crimes against underprivileged, vulnerable boys in Victoria more than 40 years ago.

William Stuart Houston, 77, abused six boys when he was their supervisor at the St Augustine's Orphanage, Highton, in the 1960s.

He prowled around some victims after lights went off in the dorm, rubbing his bristly face on theirs, kissing them, sticking his tongue in their mouths and lying on top of them.

Houston exposed and rubbed himself on other victims, and touched boys' crotches.

He told one boy: "Don't tell anyone. That's right, you can't tell anyone because you've got no one."

Another victim was strapped by Houston for wetting the bed after one indecent assault.

Some boys told other Christian Brothers at the orphanage about the abuse.

But they were punished for coming forward and told: "This is what we do to people who fabricate stories about us."

A jury found Houston guilty of eight child sex charges against three victims, and he pleaded guilty to a further 12, which related to three other boys.

His barrister, David Hallowes, conceded Houston would receive a substantial jail sentence and asked Chief Judge Peter Kidd to take that into account for the elderly man's sentence.

"There is a potential he won't be released from jail," Mr Hallowes told the Victorian County Court on Thursday.

Houston's victims, who were aged about 10-14 at the time, hope his sentence will bring some closure after almost half a century of 'hell'.

One man had battled drug addiction for years and contemplated suicide in the decades after the abuse.

"I often think about my years at St Augustine's and ask myself, why me?"

Another said Houston loved using the strap to punish them.

"I will never, ever forget what he did to me," the man told the court.

Prosecutor Ray Gibson said Houston's crimes were a gross breach of trust against underprivileged boys who had little protection.

Chief Judge Kidd will sentence Houston on May 17.

His charges include buggery, attempted buggery and indecent assault.

There were no allegations Houston had committed any other crimes since 1970, the court heard.

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