The court previously heard Roughan had told an Indigenous child victim, “You’re black, I’m white, no one will ever believe you,” and another victim, “You can’t tell anybody, no one would believe you, this is our little secret”.
Summarising the facts, the judge said Roughan sexually assaulted the first victim on “an almost daily basis”. The court heard Roughan apologised, and was seeking “redemption and forgiveness because he did not want to die and go to hell”, but “told the victim he still could not tell anyone”.
In a lawfully recorded conversation in November 2021, he “made admissions” to sexually assaulting the victim and “said he knew it was wrong, but did not think it was as the victim allowed him to do it”, Gartelmann said.
On a camping trip with his second victim, Roughan said he wanted to hunt for fish “like black fellas in the old days”, and they would “have to be naked”.
The court heard another victim was seven when he asked Roughan for food at a youth centre. Roughan drove the boy to a fast-food outlet, bought food then sexually assaulted him in his van, offering money when he resisted.
Neville Roughan was sentenced in Sydney on Wednesday.
On a separate occasion, Roughan “put a $20 note in his underwear and told [the victim] to get it”, the facts state.
The judge said another one of Roughan’s victims suffered a serious injury as a teenager and was visited in hospital by the offender, but the sexual acts continued after the victim arrived home.
Roughan was arrested in 2021.
Reading a victim impact statement in court last month, one survivor said the abuse endured when he was a child had invaded every aspect of his life “like a cancer”.
“My mother told me she remembers a time when I was a perfectly normal child, turned from a child to a young man filled with hate and anger,” the victim said.
“All of the men in my life who should have protected me never did … the accused groomed and isolated me … this man broke all the rules of nature.”
The offender grasped his crucifix necklace as the victim detailed how his life had been derailed and how it took him decades to reconcile with the abuse.
“You can sit there and grab that cross, mate, but where you’re going, it ain’t going to help you,” the victim said.
Gartelmann said the impact statements disclosed each victim was suffering fear and anxiety, a sense of guilt and shame, loss of trust in others, and psychological harm.
He said Roughan was “visibly wracked with guilt” when the statements were read and found he was remorseful.
The court heard Roughan suffers from numerous physical and mental health problems, including dementia.
The judge said Roughan’s “conduct must be denounced” and jailed him for a maximum of 18 years with a non-parole period of 10 years, backdated to 2021. Roughan will be eligible for parole in 2031.
If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (and see lifeline.org.au), 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.
Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
