SYDNEY: Australia's most notorious paedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale (pic), died on Tuesday (Feb 18) aged 90, reported German news agency (dpa), citing local media.
Ridsdale, who was convicted of abusing more than 70 children over three decades, died while in prison in the state of Victoria, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) and broadcaster ABC reported.
Ridsdale had been in prison since 1994 for sexual offences against children while he was a Catholic priest.
His offending began in 1961, the year he was ordained as a priest, AAP said.
A royal inquiry in 2017 found Ridsdale was able to continue abusing children for decades as the Catholic Church hierarchy in Australia kept moving him from parish to parish despite knowing of his crimes.
Ridsdale had a fall in his cell in 2022, and was left bed-bound, suffering from chronic pain and weakness of limbs and muscles, ABC reported.
Ridsdale's total sentence was due to expire in September 2034, ABC said. - Bernama-dpa
