Also: ‘There is no shame’: woman waives right to anonymity to speak out on impact of abuse

PROSECUTORS are pushing for a 20-year maximum penalty to be applied to a paedophile teacher who kidnapped students and sexually abused others up to 40 years ago.

John G Ferris is awaiting sentencing on a raft of historical child sex charges, including kidnapping, lewdness and indecent assault, while he was employed at a teacher at Ben Venue Public School in Armidale in the 1960s and ’70s.

Seven of the eight victims gave emotional victim impacts statements in Armidale District Court last week, detailing the profound effect the sexual abuse had had on them and how it contributed to a lifetime of anxiety, depression and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Judge Stephen Hanley commended the victims, saying they had “shown great courage to speak publicly”.

“It provides a public record of your suffering,” Judge Hanley said.

He acknowledged the suffering they had experienced and the “damaging effects” by “persons of significant trust”.

It was a “difficult sentencing matter” because there were different sentencing processes in place at the time of the offending, he said.

Crown prosecutor Ben Cochrane said the “predominant aggravating feature” of Ferris’ offending was “the breach of trust”.

“A period of offending that went over 12 years,” he said pointing to eight victims.

“A repeated system of offending.”

Mr Cochrane said Ferris took “advantage” of his victims in classes, and then called for the maximum penalty to be considered for the charge of kidnapping because of the “substantial injury”, he said, pointing to the psychological impacts, presented to the court by medical evidence and a victim impact statement.

“It’s appropriate that a 20-year maximum penalty be applied,” he said.

Mr Cochrane argued Ferris sought “to achieve a particular sexual gratification”, when he kidnapped a child in the school, and locking her away in a bathroom as he abused her.

“This in my submission is extremely serious,” he said.

Barrister Sue Cluss said Ferris had not come under notice before and argued the offences “would lie at the lower end of the scale” and submitted the maximum penalty of indecent assault at the time carried around six years jail.

Ms Cluss said the “psychological impacts” were not considered at the time but Judge Hanley said “it’s got to be considered in the gross breach of trust”.

Judge Hanley said any good character Ferris had falls away because “it shows what a fraud he is”.

Ms Cluss argued that “despite not remembering many of the events”, Ferris made admissions to police upon his arrest, and pleaded guilty in the local court, before offering an apology in court.

“He knows the person that he was then and he is sorry for what he did,” she said.

Ferris remains in custody ahead of sentencing in June.