AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
December 19, 2013
Adam Cooper
Victims of a man who sexually assaulted 11 boys more than three decades ago when he was a community leader are angry at what they consider a light jail term.
Barry Francis Watson, 73, will serve a minimum of 2 1/2 years in prison for abusing boys in his care as young as seven when he was a leader in the Anglican Church’s youth group, CEBS, between 1969 and 1979.
Watson was found guilty in October of 12 charges of indecent assault on a boy aged under 16. He then pleaded guilty to another six charges.
On Thursday County Court Judge Rachelle Lewitan imposed a maximum jail term of four years but the sentence has upset some of Watson’s victims.
One called out to Watson as he was led from the dock, and outside court, he and others spoke of their disappointment to prosecutors.
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