A MOTHER and daughter are petitioning to change the name of an Altona Meadows street named after paedophile Catholic priest Victor Rubeo.
Rubeo, 78, died on December 16 last year, the day he was meant to front a committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on 30 child sex abuse charges allegedly committed against twin boys at Laverton.
Point Cook woman Christine Dunsmore (nee Squires) and her mother Jen Austin (nee Squires) have lodged a petition with Hobsons Bay Council to change the name of Rubeo Avenue.
Rubeo was a priest in the parish of Laverton from 1969-72. The parish takes in St Martin de Porres at Laverton.
Before coming to St Martin de Porres, Rubeo assisted at St Mary’s in Altona.
Ms Dunsmore said that when she was 14 her father had died and Father Rubeo was a frequent visitor to her home.
“He just had a strong influence on my mother, especially when she became a widow. He was around our house a lot and my brothers were altar boys within the Laverton parish as well.
“He was a paedophile and he shouldn’t be revered in any way, shape or form. I know the pain and suffering he’s caused the victims that I know, not to mention the ones I don’t know.”
Ms Dunsmore said she decided to petition to change the name of the avenue because of her friendship with Tony Hersbach.
Mr Hersbach was 42 when he told his wife, Lu, that Rubeo had abused him from the age of 11 to 18 at Laverton.
“From ages 11-15, Rubeo lived just a few doors from our place in Ulm Street, Laverton,” Mr Hersbach said.
“The abuse took place in his house in Ulm Street. From 15-18, Rubeo moved to a presbytery in Pearce Street, Laverton, next to the current St Martin de Porres church. He also abused me there on numerous occasions.”
Even after the abuse, Rubeo continued to be a dominating influence in Mr Hersbach’s family life, until he was 42.
Mr Hersbach said he first reported Rubeo to the archdiocese on August 10, 1994.
“He actually offered to resign and the church refused to accept his resignation. They left him in his parish at Boronia for a further two and a half years.”
It was only when a Doveton woman filed a police complaint about Rubeo that he admitted to “a couple of minor offences” against Mr Hersbach and his twin brother Will.
In October 1996, Rubeo pleaded guilty in Ringwood Magistrates Court to two counts of indecent assault against the Hersbach twins.
He was given a two-year good behaviour bond.
“He walked out with no conviction,” Mr Hersbach said. “It represented a very very small part of the truth.”
Last year, police laid 30 new charges against Rubeo — 24 allegedly committed against Mr Hersbach and six against his brother.
Ms Austin said that when she found out about Rubeo she felt sick, angry and betrayed.
“I totally, totally trusted him. I felt just totally totally ill and betrayed, and I have witnessed what it’s done to Tony and his brother.
“When Rubeo sent me a Christmas card, sort of testing the waters after he was taken from whatever parish he was in and was taken out of practising as a priest, I just ripped it up.
“He has betrayed and exploited so many people in this Laverton area and so many people have said to me, ‘It’s not right that his name is up there’.
“And that’s how I feel.
“When I see that I just feel like pulling it down.
“I just feel so angry, angry, angry.”
The council was to table the petition at its meeting last night.
