Australia’s worst pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale has died

Gerald Ridsdale has died in a Melbourne prison, with a lawyer who fought for his victim-survivors saying the impact of the pedophile priest’s crimes “cannot be fathomed”.

Gerald Ridsdale outside court in 1993 with George Pell. Picture: Geoff Amp

• Even hell is too good for depraved priest

Victims of Gerald Ridsdale say news of the death of Australia’s worst pedophile priest is a “big relief”.

Several sources have told the Herald Sun that the 90-year-old passed away before 10am on Tuesday in the medical unit of Port Phillip Prison at Truganina in Melbourne’s west.

Ridsdale abused more than 70 children over three decades as a parish priest in Victoria’s west.

He had remained mostly unresponsive in recent weeks with one source telling the Herald Sun he had no longer been able to open his eyes.

Victim survivor Paul Levey, who gave the Herald Sun permission to be identified, said he was alerted to Ridsdale’s death just minutes after he had passed away.

He said it was a “big relief” after reading countless reports of the pedophile’s ill health in recent years.

“I didn’t mind him being in prison while he was a little bit healthy when they were bashing him, raping him, whatever they wanted to do to him there,” he said.

“Once he went into the hospital, I thought ‘the quicker, the better’.

“It’s a big relief, we’ve all been waiting for it. We’ve heard for years of him being in palliative care.

“Now he’s gone, it’s a big relief.”

Gerald Ridsdale, Australia’s worst pedophile priest, is dead. Picture: Supplied

Mr Levey, 56, said it would be a bittersweet day for fellow survivors.

He said two journalists both sent him a text simultaneously reading: “He’s gone”.

“I think it’ll be a bag of mixed emotions, some people will be relieved, some will be happy,” he added.

“Everyone is going to react to it differently.”

Another survivor of Ridsdale’s horrific crimes said it was a “good thing” the pedophile had finally died.

He said he hoped it would finally close a dark chapter in his life.

“(I’m) probably just a bit confused, that’s the reality,” he told the Herald Sun.

“Obviously knew it was coming, (we’ve) been prepared for it for a long time but it still doesn’t make it any easier when it happens.

“That’s purely because you have to relive everything again and hopefully this is the end of it.”

Documents seen by the Herald Sun show Ridsdale had been receiving treatment for severe arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure, heart problems and Rhabdomyolysis – a rare, life-threatening condition where a person’s skeletal muscles rapidly break down that can lead to kidney failure.

It is understood that despite his worsening condition, Ridsdale’s relatives, including two of his sisters, had not visited the dying predator.

Dr Judy Courtin, who has fought for Ridsdale’s victims for decades, said the impact of his crimes “cannot be fathomed”.

Dr Courtin said there would be thousands of family members who would likely be overjoyed with Ridsdale’s death on Tuesday morning.

“The impacts of Ridsdale’s execrable crimes cannot be fathomed,” she said.

“We have estimated that Ridsdale sexually assaulted about 1600 children during his priestly career.

“Who knows how many family members and loved ones have been impacted — 10,000? 20,000?”

Ridsdale passed away at Port Phillip Prison on Tuesday. Picture: Peter Ward

Dr Courtin continues to campaign for other members of the Catholic hierarchy to be held criminally responsible.

“The human damage caused by this one pedophile, and the Catholic hierarchy which enabled his sex offending to go unfettered for decades, is so vast it is immeasurable,” she said.

“Further, the fact that not one member of the Catholic hierarchy has ever been held criminally accountable for concealing and enabling Ridsdale’s child sex crimes, beggars belief and is a permanent source of anguish and grievance for victims/survivors and their families and loved ones.”

Ballarat Diocese Vicar General father Marcello Colasante said the diocese “recognises that the news of the death of Gerald Ridsdale is likely to renew the distress of those who have suffered from his crimes”.

He said it also extended its sympathies to Ridsdale’s family.

LOUD Fence Inc is behind a movement to tie coloured ribbons to the fences of places where child sexual abuse occurred.

Its ribbons remain visible around Ballarat, including at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The group’s founder Maureen Hatcher said she acknowledged Ridsdale’s victims and extended compassion to abuse survivors.

“We especially hold in our hearts the families and loved ones who lost their sons, daughters, siblings, and friends too soon as a result of his abuse,” she said.

“We recognise the parents who carry unbearable guilt, having trusted the schools and churches where Ridsdale was allowed to roam freely.

“ … When children are young, many have nightmares about monsters. They are comforted by parents who tell them that monsters aren’t real.

“Sometimes, they are.”

LOUD Fence ribbons tied to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat.

Ms Hatcher said Ridsdale’s death “presents an opportunity for the Catholic Church to reflect on the recent High Court decision and demonstrate true empathy and genuine regret”.

The Herald Sun revealed in March last year Ridsdale had suffered a major health decline and had been moved to St Vincent’s Hospital.

His health had begun to deteriorate “significantly” since 2021.

The notorious pedophile had been behind bars since 1994, but his abuse was so prolific that Victoria Police had continued to lay dozens of new historic sexual abuse charges as recently as April last year.

The Sexual Crimes Squad brought an additional 62 new charges against Ridsdale, bringing the total number of separate charges laid against him to just under 200.

He had been serving an almost 40-year sentence when he pleaded guilty to another raft of charges in 2023.

Gerald Francis Risdale is led into Melbourne County Court to face charges of sexual abuse of altar boys & other young victims in 1994. Picture: Gerald Ridsdale.

At a pre-sentencing hearing for those charges, which related to his abuse of a 13-year-old boy in Horsham in the 1980s, his lawyer told the court that Ridsdale may have needed to enter palliative care.

In 2022, Ridsdale’s lawyer pushed for any new prison sentences to be served concurrently with his existing term, but a judge handed him an additional 6.5 years behind bars with two years to be served on top of his 39-year sentence.

Amy Olver, abuse law special counsel for Shine Lawyers, which ran several abuse claims against Ridsdale, said his “horrendous” offending caused irreparable trauma to a “staggering number” of innocent people.

“My thoughts are with those whose lives were impacted by this disgraceful man, and with victim-survivors everywhere,” she said.

She said the real number of victims he preyed on may never be known, but called on those who were abused by him to come forward.

“Ridsdale’s death does not prevent survivors from coming forward and bringing claims against the church.

“It’s never too late to seek justice.”

Originally published as Australia’s worst pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale has died