A student priest who raped his dying friend’s 12-year-old son has been jailed for a decade.

Paul Pavlou, 59, was studying to become a Catholic priest in 2003 when he offered “respite” to the family of his friend who had terminal cancer.

But Pavlou used the opportunity to gratify his “lascivious and depraved desires” and raped his friend’s 12-year-old son on three occasions.

After the attacks, Pavlou would tell the victim that he loved him and that he was a “special child” and a “child of God”, the Victorian county court has been told.

The victim reported the rapes to police 13 years later, but Pavlou initially claimed he could not recall molesting the boy.

He later pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

His victim, who is now an adult, said he cried himself to sleep for years after the “evil” crimes.

In sentencing on Monday, Judge Greg Lyon said Pavlou’s actions deserved “utter condemnation”.

Pavlou, who has already been in custody for 203 days, must serve seven years in jail before he is eligible for release on parole.



