A PAEDOPHILE who molested four girls under the age of seven escaped an immediate jail sentence yesterday.
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Gary McErvale, 50, of Callow St, Ballarat, received a $1000 fine and 12 months' jail sentence suspended for two years in the Ballarat Magistrate's Court for sexual offences he committed between 1967 and 1994.
The victims expressed outrage at the sentence _ telling The Courier there was no justice.
"I thought he was at least going to get jail," one of the victims said. "Everyone's jaws were on the floor (when the magistrate issued the sentence)."
Two of the women were in Ballarat Magistrate's Court for sentencing. The other two victims were too traumatised to confront their perpetrator.
The court heard the victims were as young as three when they were molested.
One girl was four when she was assaulted.
McErvale admitted to molesting one of his victims up to 15 times.
McErvale pleaded guilty to indecent assault, unlawful assault, unlawful assault with a girl and committing an indecent act with a child under 16.
In sentencing, Magistrate Rowan McIndoe made no comments to the court. The victims - who cannot be named - were by contrast very vocal.
"I just felt like nothing on earth (when I heard the sentence), I just burst into tears, I thought he'd get something but he more or less got nothing," one victim said.
"It's like someone sticking a knife in your stomach and turning it around and around and they won't stop."
Defence counsel Scott Belcher told the court his client suffered chronic depression, partly stemming from the offences he committed on the girls. Mr Belcher said McErvale had made frank admissions to police and regretted his actions and was "relieved" the matter was being resolved.
But his victims aren't satisfied. They say the penalty equates to a $250 fine per victim for offences they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.
"It's virtually a life sentence you're dealt with and for them to put a price like $250 on that (is wrong)."
One woman lived with the memories of abuse for 20 years before she mustered the courage to press charges. She managed to find three other victims, but is concerned there may be more.
"I've got the satisfaction of knowing I've done everything I possibly can to heal. My main concern is preventing it from happening to anyone else," she said.