IT IS almost impossible to comprehend two staggeringly light jail sentences given to callous and brazen Tasmanian paedophiles this week. Equally hard to accept is the fact that both of these calculating predators slipped through the cracks of the state's education and justice systems for decades without punishment. Time and time again these criminals were allowed to get away with preying on Tasmania's most vulnerable children. At last these men have been hauled before court and carted off to prison, bringing some justice to their victims. But details of their disgusting crimes has shone a disturbing light on systemic failings which enabled their persistent abuse. A former North-West principal was on Monday jailed for a maximum of six years for molesting 14 children during the 1970s and '80s. Five young victims were related to his wife. Nine more were young male students at a public school, who he assaulted following a pattern of abuse that spanned many years. Some of the man's horrendous crimes were referred to police in the early '80s. He was interviewed, but he denied any inappropriate behaviour, and no criminal action was taken. The Education Department launched an investigation of its own and the man admitted to nursing, kissing and cuddling his students, as well as taking photos of a group of naked boys. The man again defended his behaviour, but the department decided rumours against him were growing too loud, and he was shunted to another state school. He taught at several other schools in the region before moving to Hobart in 1989, where he continued to work in education for another nine years. There is no suggestion the man re-offended after 1983, but leaving this dangerous predator to watch over Tasmanian children until 1998 was extremely negligent. Parents send their children to school believing they will be safe, and the perpetrator shattered that expectation. This man was elevated to a position of trust, and abused it in the worst possible way. He will be eligible for parole in three years. In another horrific case on Thursday, a former teacher and personal trainer was jailed for a maximum of seven years for abusing seven boys over 35 years. His earliest crime was carried out while a teacher at a Hobart high school, where he persistently assaulted a young student for more than a year. He then assaulted two young brothers in the early '90s, while he ran a government science facility for gifted students. One victim reported the abuse to his father in 1992 and police were informed. However, the man was never interviewed or charged. He continued to work at a number of schools in and around Hobart for several more years. In 2006, he opened a private gym and enticed boys from the local football club to train with him. He preyed on six separate complainants, abusing one boy at least 34 times over more than a year. The victim told his parents in 2013, and police were contacted. It soon became clear that other children were probably assaulted, and a full investigation was launched. Some clapped and others cried as the man's punishment was announced. He, too, will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence. While inside sentencing guidelines, both these punishments fall woefully short of community expectations. Harrowing and brave accounts of the lives destroyed by these crimes show just how devastating these types of offences are. Those responsible for the royal commission into child abuse deserve enormous praise for exposing some of the crimes committed by both perpetrators. For other victims to come forward, Tasmanians need to be assured that the authorities will take swift and decisive action to stamp out such hideous behaviour. The courts also need to demonstrate they will come down on paedophiles like a ton of bricks in the future.
IT IS almost impossible to comprehend two staggeringly light jail sentences given to callous and brazen Tasmanian paedophiles this week.
Equally hard to accept is the fact that both of these calculating predators slipped through the cracks of the state's education and justice systems for decades without punishment.
Time and time again these criminals were allowed to get away with preying on Tasmania's most vulnerable children.
At last these men have been hauled before court and carted off to prison, bringing some justice to their victims.
But details of their disgusting crimes has shone a disturbing light on systemic failings which enabled their persistent abuse.
A former North-West principal was on Monday jailed for a maximum of six years for molesting 14 children during the 1970s and '80s.
Five young victims were related to his wife.
Nine more were young male students at a public school, who he assaulted following a pattern of abuse that spanned many years.
Some of the man's horrendous crimes were referred to police in the early '80s.
He was interviewed, but he denied any inappropriate behaviour, and no criminal action was taken.
The Education Department launched an investigation of its own and the man admitted to nursing, kissing and cuddling his students, as well as taking photos of a group of naked boys.
The man again defended his behaviour, but the department decided rumours against him were growing too loud, and he was shunted to another state school.
He taught at several other schools in the region before moving to Hobart in 1989, where he continued to work in education for another nine years.
There is no suggestion the man re-offended after 1983, but leaving this dangerous predator to watch over Tasmanian children until 1998 was extremely negligent.
Parents send their children to school believing they will be safe, and the perpetrator shattered that expectation.
This man was elevated to a position of trust, and abused it in the worst possible way.
He will be eligible for parole in three years.
In another horrific case on Thursday, a former teacher and personal trainer was jailed for a maximum of seven years for abusing seven boys over 35 years.
His earliest crime was carried out while a teacher at a Hobart high school, where he persistently assaulted a young student for more than a year.
He then assaulted two young brothers in the early '90s, while he ran a government science facility for gifted students.
One victim reported the abuse to his father in 1992 and police were informed.
However, the man was never interviewed or charged. He continued to work at a number of schools in and around Hobart for several more years.
In 2006, he opened a private gym and enticed boys from the local football club to train with him.
He preyed on six separate complainants, abusing one boy at least 34 times over more than a year.
The victim told his parents in 2013, and police were contacted. It soon became clear that other children were probably assaulted, and a full investigation was launched.
Some clapped and others cried as the man's punishment was announced.
He, too, will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.
While inside sentencing guidelines, both these punishments fall woefully short of community expectations.
Harrowing and brave accounts of the lives destroyed by these crimes show just how devastating these types of offences are.
Those responsible for the royal commission into child abuse deserve enormous praise for exposing some of the crimes committed by both perpetrators.
For other victims to come forward, Tasmanians need to be assured that the authorities will take swift and decisive action to stamp out such hideous behaviour.
The courts also need to demonstrate they will come down on paedophiles like a ton of bricks in the future.
