Stephen Anthony Gray jailed in Lismore District Court for historic sexual assaults of Lismore school boys
A northern NSW ex-Catholic school teacher has learned his fate after sexually abusing three students. One survivor told a court he was “dumbstruck” the clergy “didn’t stand up” to the predator.
Police & Courts
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A former Lismore Catholic school teacher and rugby league coach who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing three boys in the 1970s has finally learned his fate in the District Court.
Stephen Anthony Gray, 66, previously entered guilty pleas at Lismore Local Court in 2022 to six counts of indecent assault and one of attempted buggery.
He arrived at the court hunched over and supporting himself with a wheelie-walker on Friday.
Gray was a former primary teacher who taught years 4 and 5 at St Carthage’s Primary School in Lismore.
He preyed on three primary-school-aged boys.
Gray was also the sports master and abused his victims in the school’s secluded sports room, according to court documents.
He told a victim on one occasion: “You can’t tell anyone what happened in here – not your family, not your friends.”
On several occasions, he drove one of the boys to his home and told his parents he was taking him to football, the documents stated.
Victims told the court of “inappropriate rubbing and touching” as well as Gray ejaculating on them during his offending.
Gray stared at the floor as a victim impact statement was read in the court.
One victim described the crimes as “wretched evil”.
He said he was “greatly relieved” Gray was now before the courts for sentencing.
“I was a brave nine-year-old boy who told his parents what happened, and my parents were brave to confront you,” he said.
“I was dumbstruck how the clergy and school principal didn’t stand up to you.”
Police state in court documents that when one of the boys’ parents reported offending to the principal sister of the Lismore school, Joan Reynolds, Gray was “moved schools over the weekend and never returned”.
The victim told the court he had to stop Gray from abusing any more children in 1979.
He said the abuse profoundly impacted him for about four years and his school work and sporting ability deteriorated.
“I was a nine-year-old boy who wanted for something different,” he said.
Defence Barrister Simon Apps told the court there is no excuse for his client.
“The facts speak for themselves,” he said.
“He was 21 or 23 years of age at the time and acknowledges there was a serious breach of trust.”
In August 2016, Gray attended Hervey Bay Police Station and made admissions about the abuse of one of the boys. He denied all other allegations at the time.
Gray had already served lengthy prison sentences for sexual abuse at Beaudesert home BoysTown in 2016 and 2018, handed down in Brisbane District Court.
Mr Apps told the court Gray suffered from a rare oligodendroglioma – a tumour in his brain.
“He has a broken back and suffers chronic pain from that,” he said.
He said Gray was remorseful and has “carried the guilt his whole life”.
Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Brendan Campbell told the court Gray was aware there was no other penalty than jail.
Mr Campbell said there was a “significant time delay” before Gray was arrested and charged.
Judge Jennifer English told the court she was not convinced of Gray’s remorse.
“There was a degree of premeditation,” she said.
“There was a serious breach of trust over a long period of time and a substantial impact on victims.”
Judge English convicted Gray and sentenced him to five years and six months imprisonment, backdated from March 31 last year, with a non-parole period of three years and six months.
Gray will be eligible for supervised parole on September 30, 2025.
He was taken into custody.
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