'He can't hurt any more kids': emotions run high as paedophile priest dies

The former Western Victoria Catholic priest, who'd been in jail since 1994, died on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, aged 90. He was convicted of abusing more than 70 children over three decades.

Ridsdale was first assigned to a Ballarat parish in 1961 before he was moved to 10 different parishes in several communities, including Mortlake and Warrnambool, until the late 1980s.

At Ridsdale's 1994 plea hearing, witnesses told how he was moved from one parish to another when claims of abuse were raised.

One man, who was raped in a confessional box in Mortlake in the early 1980s, told The Standard on Tuesday he knew the disgraced priest had been on death's door for years, but news of passing still came as "a shock".

"I had a lot of people call me yesterday saying it looked like this time this was going to be it," he said.

"You knew the day was coming, but it's still sort a bit of a shock in a way. I'm not sure what the right word is. Maybe startled."

The man said the wellbeing of other victims was at the forefront of his mind.

"It doesn't really change anything for me or any other of the blokes involved," the man said.

"The only thing is, he can't hurt any more kids, although realistically that stopped a long time ago. Hopefully all the other blokes involved have already started or been through the system already and had all of their stuff sorted.

"... I've certainly pushed a lot of blokes to get through and get sorted before this time came."

Affected by this story?

There is help available. You can phone the South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault, on 5564 4144, or free-call the crisis care line 24 hours on 1800 806 292. Or phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380, or Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277.