A PAEDOPHILE who sexually abused seven children, including the Neighbours star Madeleine West, has finally been jailed.
West, who played Toadie’s husband Dee in the hit Australian soap, appeared in court to confront her abuser – taking a stand for herself, and the other children that he victimised 40 years ago.
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At the plea hearing, West demanded that her abuser continued to look her in the eyes whilst she read out her victim statement.
“He wept, looked away. And time and again I demanded he meet my gaze, for the first time in his miserable life show a shred of integrity by looking at me and listening,” she posted on Instagram.
“His legacy will not be as the good bloke, the loving husband, the proud father and grandfather.
“No.. the world will remember him as the monster who molested little children. It stops now.”
The court heard that West agreed to record a conversation with her abuser for detectives back in 2022.
At the time, he claimed not to remember his abuse towards her.
“I am so sorry. I don’t remember doing anything like that. I am so sorry … It’s been washed from my mind,” White can be heard saying during the recorded conversation.
Now, her abuser, named as Peter Vincent White, 73, has pleaded guilty to 33 charges of child sexual abuse, and has been hit with a 15-year prison sentence.
Following the sentencing, West took to Instagram to share a heartwarming photo of herself with her lawyer, alongside a lengthy message hoping to encourage other victims to come forward.
She wrote: “Today’s ruling is the best Christmas gift we could wish for. It took 40 years to be delivered but now it’s here.
“It’s just a pittance compared to the life sentence served by victims of childhood sexual assault, but todays ruling demonstrates that victim survivors are not alone, it was never our fault, we aren’t broken and that justice is possible!
“I hope my story will encourage other victims to come forward and report.
“This is a crime against children. Of the worst possible kind.
“By continuing to pretend it doesn’t happen we willfully endanger our kids, just as we were left in danger like so many generations before us. Ignorance is no longer an excuse.
“Tomorrow looks bright.”
Many of White’s victims sat with their families in the courtroom as he was handed his sentence.
His crimes, which included gross indecency, indecent assault, and the sexual penetration of a child, were described by Judge Amanda Chambers as some of the worst she had ever encountered.
During the court proceedings it was revealed that he enticed children between the ages of four and 14 to his home in northwest Melbourne with games, toys and treats.
Chambers described his predatory behaviour as “appalling, manipulative conduct”.
White abused all seven children in cruel ways, forcing them into performing degrading sexual acts.
One girl, aged six, vomited after White forced her to perform oral sex.
Another child was abused during a game of hide and seek, after White said that they should “hide” in a bed together.
He also urinated on one of his friend’s sons.
Chambers has sentenced him to a non-parole period of at least nine years, and noted that her sentence might mean he died in jail.
“Offending of this kind strikes at the very heart of the morals of a decent and civilised society,” she said.
“You can be in no doubt that your offending had a profound impact on the lives of your victims.”
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