Cyril Tresize: Canberra child sex offender, 81, nearly collapses in court after magistrate jails him
A serial child sex offender’s last moments as a free man saw him in a fit of panic in court as he realised he could die in jail. His abuse has been described as “repugnant” and a “gross breach of trust”.
Hyperlocal
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hyperlocal. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Ainslie Football Club coach denies paedophile charges
- ANU college’s culture of drinking, hazing, aired in Supreme Court
- Ex-soldier charged with murder after pub ‘altercation’
A serial child sex criminal who preyed upon young boys in Canberra in the 1970s and 1980s was overcome with panic as he was sentenced to a jail term that could see him die behind bars.
The Canberra Star can reveal the man’s identity as Cyril Tresize, 81, who fronted the ACT Magistrates Court last week.
Other outlets chose not to publish Tresize’s identity, including the Canberra Times, which agreed to a request from Magistrate Glenn Theakston.
The ageing paedophile tried to hide his face in shame as he arrived at court.
He was then overcome with panic as Mr Theakston jailed him for five and a half years, and had to be told to sit down so he didn’t collapse.
He will be eligible for release in two years.
He demanded to speak with his lawyers shortly before being taken to the courthouse cells, from where he was returned to the sex offenders’ wing at Canberra’s jail, the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Tresize had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of repeatedly indecently assaulting one young boy and one count of indecently assaulting another young boy about the same time
His offending was “repugnant” and a “gross breach of trust” Mr Theakston said.
The former church youth group leader, when confronted with the allegations by police, said: “I’m admitting, yes, it happened … I did that to him and I’m ashamed of it.”.
Tresize molested one of this victims, 7, at Pine Island south of Canberra in the mid 1970s, with the boy attempting to “wriggle away”, court document show.
Tresize had previously served jail time for similar child sex offending, and Mr Theakston said there were no allegations of wrongdoing in the last 40 years.
Tresize is blind in one eye and in ill-health, and his previous jail stint was for offences committed against young boys around Canberra, including on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin and at the Cotter River.
Tresize’s many victims have repeatedly said they felt their trust was betrayed.
Tresize’s barrister, Jack Papas, argued his client had not abused children for more than 40 years and had confessed when confronted by police.
Last week, Mr Theakston said: “The offender used the boys for his own sexual gratification without any regard to the experience of the boys of the adverse consequences that may follow”.