Raymond Pethybridge charged with breaching child protection order

An elderly ex-Salvation Army chaplain found guilty at a special hearing of sexually abusing five young girls between 1958 and 1987 has been charged with breaching a child protection order.

Raymond Pethybridge leaves the Downing Centre in Sydney in 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

An elderly Salvation Army chaplain found guilty at special hearing of sexually abusing his church friends’ young daughters has a new legal fight on his hands after he was charged with breaching his child protection order.

Raymond Pethybridge, now 91, was found guilty at a special hearing in May 2022 of historical sexual abuse against a number of young girls.

The former chaplain, who consistently denied the charges, has resided at a Greenacre nursing home since he was found unfit for an ordinary trial due in part to his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

He was back in handcuffs before Parramatta Bail Court on May 20 charged with breaching the child protection order in respect of allegations he had a Facebook account he had not reported to police as required.

Solicitor for NSW Police Robert Breckenridge said Pethybridge’s history invoked an unacceptable risk of committing further serious offences and endangering community safety.

“Your Honour will see an extremely concerning list of convictions, many of which are accompanied by qualified findings of guilt,” Sgt Breckenridge told the court.

“These are child sex offences which give rise to the protection order … it appears as though the offending behaviour had been taking place for a not insignificant period of time.”

Raymond Pethybridge leaves the Downing Centre in Sydney with his wife in 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Pethybridge’s solicitor Ms Murphy said her client was vulnerable, required particular assistance in his daily life and the charge was likely to be defended.

The former Salvos leader’s wife Valma appeared in court to support him.

“Yes, there are these allegations of breaching the CPO,” Ms Murphy acknowledged.

“This is in relation to historical offences from his time in the Salvation Army, he retired in 1997 and in terms of any further offending in breaching the CPO, my submission is he tries his best to comply.”

Ms Murphy also said she was instructed Pethybridge had understood he had informed police about the Facebook account as required.

Magistrate Hyatt acknowledged the case against Pethybridge was strong, but found conditions could mitigate the risk of him being in the community on bail.

“The offence is serious and if convicted, it’s a strong prosecution case, and it’s likely a custodial sentence will be imposed but it’s not inevitable he will have to serve that in full time custody,” the magistrate said.

Pethybridge was granted bail to reside at the Greenacre nursing home and not use any social media.