Ex-Catholic brother jailed again for child sex abuse

A former Catholic brother convicted of sexually abusing 35 children more than three decades ago has been jailed again.

Frank Terrance Keating was sentenced in the Brisbane District Court on Friday after earlier pleading guilty to indecent treatment and carnal knowledge charges involving children.

He worked as a teacher, then principal at the De La Salle college at Scarborough, north of Brisbane.

The 81-year-old has been convicted previously in Queensland and in Victoria for similar offenses committed in that state.

Judge Paul Smith said Keating had committed a total of 63 offenses against 35 children over about 20 years.

The offenses for which he was sentenced on Friday included offenses against boys and a girl.

The court was told Keating had taken steps towards rehabilitation and avoided contact with children while living with his wife of more than 30 years in Victoria.

Keating, who has mobility problems, was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair after being taken into custody following sentencing submissions made on Monday.

Keating’s offenses were a gross breach of trust by a school teacher and had a profound and lasting effect on the children, Judge Smith said.

Keating was recruited as a Christian brother at the age of 14 and last offended 35 years ago.

He was handed a six-year jail sentence, with Judge Smith ordering him to be eligible for parole on April 1, 2026.

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