Ewen James Addison fronts court over sexual abuse of children

A Rotary volunteer and registered sex offender preyed upon five children across Victoria after his release from jail in Canada where he sexually abused two children.

Ewen James Addison outside the County Court with his lawyer Kate Ballard following his guilty pleas to child sex offences.

A registered sex offender is back behind bars for preying on five children across Victoria including forcing them to watch pornography and using sex toys that he carried in his toolbox.

Ewen James Addison from Doreen sexually abused the children between 2008 and 2011 at locations across Chelsea, Edithvale, Sorrento and Mt Hotham after his return from Canada.

He was sentenced in the County Court on Friday to a minimum of two years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to 11 charges, including nine of doing an indecent act on a child.

The court heard that Addison was a registered sex offender in Canada where he served seven months’ imprisonment in 2003 for sexually abusing a boy and a girl while working as a ski instructor.

His victims and their families in Victoria were unaware of his convictions in Canada.

Ewen Addison offended against one child at Mt Hotham.

Judge Liz Gaynor said Addison’s offending included showing children pornography, masturbating in front of them and encouraging them to do the same, and indecently assaulting two girls under 12.

He showed a male teen pornography on five occasions in 2009 and 2010 and masturbated in front of him four times.

Addison put his toolbox with the sex toys on the floor between them.

The sex fiend encouraged the teen to masturbate in front of him on another three occasions during 2010, including with a sex toy, and also indecently assaulted him in early 2011.

Judge Gaynor said Addison offended when he struggled to cope with his job as a manager at Officeworks and began drinking daily and experiencing blackouts.

His wife wrote to court, saying Addison volunteered for Rotary and spent a lot of time fixing computers and giving to families in need.

Doreen man Ewen Addison has gone to prison for sexually abusing five children across Victoria.

She said her husband was the sole provider, their family home had to be sold due to financial constraints and that Addison cared for his elderly parents.

But Judge Gaynor said Addison’s moral culpability was high given his conviction for similar offending in Canada.

“Your offending was extremely damaging and continues to wreak havoc in the lives of your victims,” Judge Gaynor said.

His registration as a sex offender in Canada expired five years ago but he was re-registered as a sex offender for life following Friday’s sentencing.

His total sentence is four years’ imprisonment.