Gerald Ridsdale Australia's worst pedophile priest dies at 90
Gerald Ridsdale, a convicted pedophile priest, has died in prison at 90. He was notorious for abusing over 70 children during his priesthood, with multiple allegations spanning decades.
Gerald Ridsdale, one of Australia's most notorious pedophiles and a defrocked Catholic priest, has passed away at the age of 90 while in prison.
Ridsdale was convicted of abusing over 70 children across three decades, starting from 1961 when he was ordained as a priest.
Throughout his tenure, he used his position to gain the trust of young victims and their families, perpetrating abuse in various regions of Victoria.
Incarcerated since 1994, Ridsdale faced multiple charges related to his disturbing history, which included allegations of abuse in New South Wales and the United States, where he sought treatment for sex offending.
The Sano Taskforce, established by Victoria Police, investigated historical and recent allegations against him, leading to numerous court appearances that earned him the title of Australia's worst pedophile priest.
During his 1994 plea hearing, witnesses recounted how Ridsdale was moved from parish to parish after complaints surfaced, a decision later found to be confirmed by the 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
This inquiry revealed that church authorities were aware of his predilections as early as the 1960s, notably implicating former Bishop Ronald Mulkearns in a cover-up.
Despite his advanced age and failing health, Ridsdale admitted to further charges of sexual assault against minors as recently as August last year.
Ridsdale, originally from Ballarat, exhibited signs of frailty during his last court appearance, having been excused from subsequent ones due to his deteriorating health.
In court, he was silent except for his guilty plea, with reports indicating he required palliative care due to chronic pain and significant health issues following a fall in November 2022.
Throughout his sentence, Ridsdale was held accountable for the abuse of at least 72 children during the 1970s and 1980s while serving at various Catholic schools and churches across Victoria.
