The victim of a paedophile priest told a court that the then Cardinal of the Sydney archdiocese and a high-ranking bishop allowed the perpetrator to move on to other parishes despite knowing he had sexually abused a young boy.

Reading from his victim impact statement at the Downing Centre court on Friday the one time altar boy, now grown up, struggled to control his emotions as he told how the assault had ruined his life.

Paedophile priest Robert Flaherty leaves Downing Centre Court. Credit:Tim Barlass

"I heard the names of these so-called leaders during the trial, namely Cardinal James Freeman and Bishop Edward Kelly," he said. "I never had any contact with them but their decisions have impacted on my life," he said.

"[They] knew that he had sexually abused a young boy and all they did was move him from parish to parish to give him new young boys to manipulate and abuse without having any restraints put on him.