A retired Catholic priest who sexually abused a teenage girl under his care at the Wandering Mission, one hours drive east of Dwellingup, has avoided an immediate prison term.
Allan John Mithen was aged 26 when he abused the 15-year-old girl in 1965, telling her she had to confess her sins to another priest who then told her she would "burn in hell".
The mission was a home for Aboriginal children removed from their families.
Mithen, now aged 80, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault and was sentenced in the WA District Court on January 15 to 13 months in prison, wholly suspended for 15 months.
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Judge Laurie Levy said the victim, who was taken from her family aged four, was particularly vulnerable.
"Rather than protecting her, those involved in running the mission subjected her to physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse," he said.
"She was refused an education to a large degree and put to work at a very young age."
Rather than protecting her, those involved in running the mission subjected her to physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse.
- Judge Laurie Levy
Mithen first abused the girl after a sex education class, then assaulted her again about six months later.
Judge Levy said the sexual acts confused and sickened the girl, and in her victim impact statement she said Mithen stole her innocence.
"She speaks of suffering from sadness, depression, fear and a sense of worthlessness - none of that was her making," he said.
"Unsurprisingly, this caused her to suffer from guilt and shame, that she describes to have been unbearable.
"One can only imagine the intense turmoil that she went through.
"She was being offended against by you in a vile manner, purely for your sexual gratification in circumstances where it was your role to spiritually guide her and protect her."
But Judge Levy also took into consideration Mithen's advanced age, ill health and remorse.
The court heard Mithen previously apologised to the victim and gave her about $4000.
Judge Levy acknowledged Mithen had made significant contributions to the Catholic and Indigenous communities, including domestic abuse in Redfern in NSW.
-AAP