Victim tells of hell living with Ridsdale

Paul Levey detailed the daily abhorrent abuse he suffered at the hands of the disgraced priest at the royal commission on Monday.

He told the inquiry his life had been a “never-ending nightmare” since he was sent to live with Ridsdale, from Easter to October in 1982 after his parents separated. 

Mr Levey broke down as he told the commission how he was forced to sleep in Ridsdale's room.

 "I was sexually abused all the time, just about every day," Mr Levey said. 

"I had my own bedroom at the presbytery but that was just a front. I always slept in Ridsdale's room where there were two beds. No-one else lived in the presbytery." 

Mr Levey said told the inquiry he suffered severe depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and physiological trauma. 

He said he battled drug and alcohol addictions and had made multiple suicide attempts.

“The abuse has impacted my relationships and my kids have had a really hard time,” he said. “I have drunk alcohol in order to sleep most nights and I have only recently stopped as I am taking sleeping medication instead.”

Mr Levey said flashbacks of Ridsdale still haunted him.

“I am also so angry that others have not stood up to their actions in helping cover all this up,” he said. 

The inquiry also heard from Mr Levey’s mother Beverley Levey who said she repeatedly called Bishop Mulkearns pleading with him to intervene but was told her ex-husband had given his permission.

“I said ‘how can you let a child live at a presbytery with a priest? That’s not appropriate, I want Paul taken out of there’,” Mrs Levey said.

She said when she threatened to call the police, Bishop Mulkearns hung up on her.  Mrs Levey said the she still blamed herself. 

In the first hearing into Ballarat, the commission heard that in 1994, Bishop Mulkearns told Catholic Church Insurances that there was no suggestion that there had been any interference ‘whatsoever’ with the boy in the house. 

The full extent of exactly what Bishop Mulkearns knew and concealed is expected to be revealed in the coming days.

Another witness is expected to give evidence that Bishop Mulkearns refused to take the word of a child over a paedophile priest.  

Bishop Mulkearns remained subject to a summons to appear but the inquiry heard he is in palliative care and unlikely to give evidence.

 The hearing continues.

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