The self-confessed abuser of nine children all aged 15 and under had his sentence increased to 18 years on Wednesday after an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions. It comes with a minimum of 13 years and six months to be spent behind bars.

That’s a far cry better than the seven years he was slapped with in September and which rightly caused widespread outrage.

(Although it still only amounts to 1.4 years behind bars for each child he abused and left with a life sentence of their own.)

It is also pleasing to see – if indeed anything in this sorry saga can be said to be pleasing – is that original sentence being deemed “an affront to the administration of justice” by three of the highest ranking judges in the state.

District Court Judge Clive Jeffreys surely has some tough questions to answer after this week’s Court of Criminal Appeal ruling.

It’s not only the appeal judges and victims’ families asking questions over Judge Jeffreys’ ruling, but the community at large.

Over the course of this saga, the community has remained resolute in continuing to express their outrage at the behaviour of Van Ryn as well as certain decisions of the legal system – all the while staunchly defending the children and expressing support for the families involved.

You’d also have to think the continued public pressure played a considerable part in this week’s court ruling and for that the community at large should be proud.

For many reasons the families are to remain unidentified, but, encouragingly, this does not deter the community from expressing empathy and support.

Through social media and commentary attached to the ongoing newspaper coverage, this support has been a heartwarming counterpoint to the injustices meted out to some of our community’s most vulnerable.

It should go without saying that this support for the children, their families, and the wider community, must continue as we put this episode behind us and try to forget the man who has caused so much pain.

He’s in a dark hole somewhere so perhaps we can now move on and ignore him – for 13 years at least. 

Time to heal.