Anglican Priest John Philip Aitchison had previously been convicted of other offences involving children in the ACT, Victoria, New South Wales and the United Kingdom, and he had served roughly two years at the Junee Correctional Centre in the late 1990s.
Earlier this year, a Supreme Court jury had found Aitchison guilty of seven acts of indecency and five counts of rape against the woman, then a 13-year-old Canberra girl, which took place over two years in the 1980s.
Although Aitchison pleaded not guilty to all charges. John Philip Aitchison was today sentenced to nine years behind bars for the historical rape.
He had first assaulted the Canberra teenager at the All Saints’ Anglican Church in Ainslie, after the she finished violin practice. Other assaults took place at the church, as well as at the victim’s Red Hill home.
During the trial the woman told the court that Aitchison had told her to look into the corner while he abused her, and pray that she might see her pet dog that had died. The woman who was raped by the former Anglican priest 30 years ago gave detailed and extensive and long-lasting impact of the abuse in court.
While the woman was describing the act of crime, Aitchison — then a deacon — prayed to God for forgiveness. While the statement of judgement was being read, Aitchison rocked back and forth slowly, shutting his eyes and facing up to the ceiling.
In handing down his sentence, Justice Michael Elkaim said that incident was “a massive demonstration of hypocrisy”. Justice Elkaim said Aitchison had been “dealt with leniently” by judges in relation to his other offences, saying he was “unquestionably a paedophile”. He further added that the offender displayed no element if remorse.
During sentencing, Justice Elkaim took into account an extensive victim impact statement read by the woman who was abused.
In it, she said that three decades on she still thought of Aitchison every day and was frightened of him.
“I see myself as dangerous to society because my judgement is flawed,” she said.
The woman also talked about the impact the abuse had on her receiving medical treatment.She said she did not want anyone to touch her, and was frightened of obstetricians during her three pregnancies, causing her to choose to give birth via caesarean section.She said she found it difficult to make friends and had never held a permanent job.
Aitchison will be eligible for parole in April 2023, after serving five years of his sentence.
