Jail for film director who preyed on kids

An Australian film director who sexually preyed on children over a 25-year period, ruined lives, says a judge who jailed him for a decade.

Darran Scott, 53, will serve a minimum seven years behind bars after pleading guilty to 17 charges relating to the sexual abuse of 11 victims.

County Court Judge John Smallwood on Friday said Scott showed no empathy for the boys he interfered with and the damage he caused to so many lives was ‘disgusting’.

‘The offending is very serious indeed. You’ve ruined lives,’ he said.

Scott has worked as an actor and directed films including The Playbook and The Spirit of the Game, a story about the basketball Mormon Yankees of the 1950s and 1960s.

He met his victims through a Victorian junior football team which he coached and a Mormon church, often plying the boys with alcohol, marijuana, sleeping tablets and pornography.

The abuse began in the 1990s, on trips away and at his home and included Scott regularly exposing himself to his victims, getting them to measure their genitals with a ruler and indecently assaulting or penetrating them.

County Court Judge John Smallwood on Friday said Scott showed no empathy for the boys he interfered with and the damage he caused to so many lives was ‘disgusting’

One of his victims was abused over a three-year period.

Scott was interviewed by police in 2005 but denied offending against children.

Judge Smallwood said it was difficult to find Scott felt any remorse other than self pity.

‘I have no doubt you knew what you were doing was wrong,’ he said.

Scott will be placed on the sex offender’s register for life.