Roger Higgins: rugby referee appeals sentence for child abuse material
An elderly, highly respected former rugby referee jailed for possessing child sex abuse material has spoken of being targeted in prison in a bid to reduce his sentence.
St George Shire Standard
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An elderly convicted child abuser who admitted to possessing a stash of child abuse material has had his prison sentence reduced after a court heard he had been targeted in jail.
Roger Higgins, 74, had been regarded as a respected rugby union referee and an active member of his Anglican Church in Gymea.
However, Higgins' terrible secrets were laid bare when he was jailed at Downing Centre Local Court after he pleaded guilty to possessing about 1000 child abuse images.
The court heard the images depict more than 50 children being subjected to vile abuse, the details of which are too distressing to publish.
Higgins was sentenced by Magistrate Alexander Mijovich to at least seven months’ imprisonment, but his non-parole period was reduced by two months on appeal in the Sydney District Court on November 18.
The court heard fresh evidence concerning “abuse and violence in custody” and information about Higgins’ medical issues amounted to special circumstances.
Higgins, who went into custody on September 21 when he was convicted, will now be eligible for parole after five months on February 20 next year.
His full sentence of 15 months was upheld by Judge Jane Culver.
At his local court sentencing, Magistrate Alexander Mijovich heard Higgins was convicted of indecently assaulting two children aged 12 and 15 in 1985 while he was employed as a public school teacher.
Higgins pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity to possessing child abuse material after police descended on his home in late 2019 and discovered the abhorrent material on his computer.
“I have no doubt he knew it was illegal,” Mr Mijovich said.
“I’m told he accepts that it is unacceptable – he should have accepted that in the past.”
The elderly Kingsgrove man’s solicitor Greg Walsh told the court Higgins was “deeply ashamed, deeply sorry, and deeply remorseful”.
“He expressed appropriate shame and contrition,” Mr Walsh said.
“This is a case where the concept of mercy does have a role to play.”
Police prosecutor Sergeant Nicholas said the age of the young boys depicted in the child abuse material was consistent with the age of Higgins’ victims in 1985.
“He’s saying he was just curious but this is his way of life,” Sgt Nicholas told the court.
“Given the likeness of the offending, this is not curiosity – this is what he does.”
The court also heard Higgins referred to his young victims as having “lured” him into his abuse.
Higgins was a life member of the NSW Rugby Referees Association and was coaching up-and-coming referees as recently as 2019.
Higgins has not come to the attention of police for any reason since 1985 and the court heard that after he was charged he was placed on a behaviour contract in terms of his church participation.
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