By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A “DERADICALISED” Muslim convert – who was the victim of severe childhood sexual abuse at Catholic institutions – has been spared jail after threatening to kill his ex-partner’s daughter.
Thomas Ratcliffe, 48, of Dandenong, pleaded guilty on 11 October to nine charges, including threatening to inflict serious injury, over text messages largely sent to his partner and her daughter over a 24-hour period in late June.
Defence barrister Peter Ward submitted for the “watchful eye of a stringent community corrections order” rather than jail.
He argued Ratcliffe had not been given rehabilitation opportunities despite a deprived childhood including the abuse and lack of education, as well as a heroin and cannabis addiction.
“He deserves a break.”
Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told that Ratcliffe, as part of a list of “bad” priors, had served a 30-month jail term for threatening police.
At the time of that offending, the accused had suffered a psychiatric episode, been admitted to hospital, and had become a “radicalised” Muslim, Mr Ward said.
The accused had to wait to undergo a deradicalisation program, meaning he received little parole time and treatment when released in October 2013.
Mr Ward said Ratcliffe’s recent $100,000 compensation settlement for abuse as a child at St Vincent’s Boys Home and an Abbotsford nunnery was “huge” in the context of Catholic Church payouts.
It reflected the severity of the abuse inflicted on the accused, Mr Ward argued.
The accused was motivated, in the “embryonic stage” of counselling and had found stable accommodation with his dog after 12 months of homelessness, Mr Ward told the court.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said the court’s main focus was to ensure people were safe.
He described Ratcliffe’s recent offending as “ranting” that didn’t make sense.
“If I was (the victim) I would be concerned because they were concerned by your behaviour generally … (and) the force and power of those threats.”
Mr Vandersteen noted a mental health assessment stating Ratcliffe had trouble controlling anger, trouble expressing positive emotions, and exhibited reckless behaviour.
He said despite 10 significant convictions in the past, Ratcliffe hadn’t received a rehabilitative order and there was “no doubt” the accused needed assistance.
Resolving the severe abuse and neglect inflicted on Ratcliffe as a child was almost like “unscrambling an omelette”, he said.
“No-one should go through the abuse you did through the church … but nothing can compensate you for what you went through as a young child.”
Ratcliffe replied: “I won’t touch the money. It’s blood money. It means nothing to me.”
Ratcliffe was convicted and put on an 18-month community-based order with judicial monitoring, secretarial supervision, drug and alcohol testing and treatment, and mental health treatment.
“If you breach the order I’ll be the one that sends you to jail. I’ll respond very sharply,” Mr Vandersteen said.
