Serial paedophile Robert Van Gestel refused bail pending sentence
Serial paedophile Robert Van Gestel has finally been sent to jail, complaining of his “tight” handcuffs as his elated victims watched him be led off by prison officers.
Police & Courts
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Serial paedophile Robert Van Gestel had only a few words to say today when he was finally handcuffed and led away by prison officers as the state’s tough bail laws finally bite.
“Oh they’re a bit tight,” the father-of-four said and winced as the metal cuffs were placed around his wrists and he was led past two of the women who as children were among the predator’s victims.
“We’re elated,” one of the women said.
In what was the biggest test so far for the new bail laws – designed to lock up serious offenders like Van Gestel pending their sentence if they are going to jail – the Court of Criminal Appeal rejected Van Gestel’s arguments that the law did not apply to him because he had “special and exceptional circumstances”.
After a number of attempts to have bail revoked for Van Gestel and another convicted paedophile, Neil Duncan, were rejected by the courts, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions finally won a detention application on its third attempt.
Van Gestel, 78, was released on bail on June 9 by the District Court after being convicted of eight charges dating back to the 1970s against three victims as young as four when he drove a Tip Top bread truck on Sydney’s northern beaches.
He will be sentenced on October 22.
Public outrage over the release of Van Gestel and Duncan led to the government rushing through new laws that state a court must refuse bail for a convicted paedophile, sex offender or other serious offender pending their sentence if they are likely to get a full time jail sentence.
Van Gestel’s counsel Mark Hobart SC argued his health was perilous after suffering a mini-stroke but the court was told by a doctor with Justice Health, that looks after inmates, that he could receive heart treatment at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Justice Fabian Gleeson rejected the arguments of special circumstances and revoked bail. He said the court would hand down its reasons later this week.
Van Gestel’s wife who gave evidence that she would die without him to care for her at their Melbourne home was not in court today to see him heading to a remand jail cell.
Duncan, 67, former south coast pony club president, is due to be sentenced for historical sex offences on August 5. He remains on bail.
More to come.
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