THE acts of a parent helper who managed to hide his paedophilic nature from a school over four years have irreparably damaged at least seven boys and their families.
On Wednesday, a judge said Darryl James Osborne (36) “took advantage of their young ages and their innocence”, and sentenced him to 10 years in prison with parole eligibility after eight years.
Many are critical of the sentence, saying if Osborne is paroled after eight years he will only have served about a year for each of his victims, who will have to deal with his gross betrayal of trust for the rest of their lives.
One could argue this man’s acts have potentially “killed” the spirit of several children, yet he could be out in the community again in less than|a decade.
The bravery of the lad who told a teacher about Osborne’s habit of photographing children while undressing after swimming lessons is nothing short of commendable.