Late Wednesday, District Court judge Clive Jeffreys sentenced Van Ryn to 13 years’ jail, with a non-parole period of seven years.

It means the self-confessed paedophile and child sex offender could be released after spending less than a year behind bars for each of his nine young victims.

Van Ryn pleaded guilty to, and convicted on 14 charges of child sexual abuse relating to nine girls and boys, aged between eight and 15.

The offences occurred between 2003 and 2014.

Two of the charges he admitted to were sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old boy in 2010.

The court heard Van Ryn performed oral sex on one boy about 20 times over the course of months, and anally raped him. 

In another attack, he groped a girl in a spa, while her parents sat nearby, unaware of what was happening under the water. 

While encouraging a 13-year-old boy to perform a sex act during another attack, he said: "It's OK, just try it."

Graphic details of child abuse read out in court

When news broke of the sentence, the community and social media went into overdrive, calling for everything from the judgement to be immediately appealed, to much more viciously worded attacks on Van Ryn and the legal system.

Encouragingly, there was also plenty of support for the victims and their families for their “courage” and “bravery” for coming forward and reporting Van Ryn’s abuse.

One reader posted the following on the BDN’s Facebook page:

“I keep hoping that's per victim, but no, that's for all the innocent lives he has damaged and the lives of their families for life.

“When is our justice system going to help child victims of crime?

“There is never any excuse or reason to justify hurting a child in this way.

“It makes me sad and angry when excuses are given for the behaviour of these monsters.

“To the families involved in this case and many others, hold your heads high, be proud of your courage and thank you for speaking out.

“The sentence is wrong, but you still won this battle because you spoke up.”

NSW Attorney General Gabrielle Upton responded to BDN requests for comment by saying her office had spoken with the NSW Director of the Public Prosecutions.

“I am advised the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is closely considering the matter,” Ms Upton said.

“As such, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

“However, what I can say is I consider child sexual assault a depraved and utterly horrible crime against some of the most vulnerable members of the community, which must be punished appropriately.

“I have delivered tough new laws which mean child sex offenders now face life behind bars and included more child sex offences in the standard non-parole period scheme.

“The NSW government is also reviewing all child sexual assault offences with a view of consolidating and simplifying the current framework.

“Furthermore, to better support the victims of child sexual assault, the NSW government has formed a child sexual assault taskforce to advise on the best way to pilot the use of children’s champions, who will support child witnesses through the court process, and the pre-recording of children’s evidence.”

Member for Bega Andrew Constance said he was “gobsmacked” by the sentence handed down for what he said was “one of the most horrific crimes that we’ve seen in terms of paedophilia in the nation’s history”.

“This is a dark day for our region with this outcome,” Mr Constance said.

“I am appalled at the courts.

“The victims and their families have been left with unimaginable pain and this sentence is woefully hopeless.

“I am shocked, like the rest of our community, and I have conveyed to the Attorney General on behalf of the community the disgust at this outcome.

“In my opinion, the court has got it completely wrong.”

Both Mr Constance and Ms Upton said they understood the DPP was now assessing the judgement with a view to potentially appeal the sentence.

If anyone feels they are in need of support, help is available.