A former physical education teacher already serving Australia's longest child abuse sentence has been given an additional seven-and-a-half years for sexually assaulting two schoolgirls in the 1980s. William 'Rob' Gilfillan, 69, was sentenced on Tuesday in the Victorian County Court for crimes committed at Traralgon High School in Gippsland.
Chief Judge Amanda Chambers described the offenses as 'brazen and forcible,' noting that Gilfillan denied his offending and showed no prospect of rehabilitation. The sentence will be served concurrently with his existing 48-year term imposed in New South Wales in 2016 for the rape and torture of his daughter.
Chambers said adding to the NSW sentence would result in a 'wholly disproportionate sentence,' but emphasized that the new term vindicated the two victims. Gilfillan is unlikely to be released before age 92 and will probably die in custody.
The court heard how one victim, identified as TC, was assaulted in the back of the school gym. Another victim, BM, became an isolated teenager due to the abuse. The case has drawn attention due to a podcast that questioned Gilfillan's guilt, which is now under investigation by Corrective Services NSW.
