In September 2015, District Court Judge Clive Jeffreys sentenced Van Ryn to 13 years, with a non-parole period of seven to be served.

He had pleaded guilty to multiple counts of child sexual abuse, indecent assault and intercourse without consent relating to nine girls and boys, all between the ages of  eight and 15.

The sentence was slammed in the community and beyond for equating to less than a year behind bars for each of Van Ryn’s young victims.

The DPP challenged the sentence in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on grounds of its leniency, with the outcome of that appeal due to be handed down Wednesday.

The father of one of his victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously said the sentence must be challenged to prevent other paedophiles from receiving light non-parole periods.

“Seven years jail was never a satisfactory outcome for a man who committed such horrendous crimes against a large number of children.

“We do have hopes that Van Ryn’s non-parole period will be increased.” he said.

The father is relieved Judge Jeffrey’s reasons for reducing the sentence – which included media attention, adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hormone treatment and the appearance he had been a “model citizen” while offending – were to be challenged in front of three appeal judges.

“Distressingly, there are members of our community who too seem to hold this belief of him as a model citizen,” he said.

“These people, who are in some cases nurses and school teachers, provided letters of support to the court in order to assist having Van Ryn’s sentence reduced.

“The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse has focused community attention upon this issue and expectations are for these perpetrators to be properly punished by serving a considerable period of time in jail.

“That is what we hope for as an outcome from Van Ryn’s appeal.” 

Van Ryn’s brutal assaults included the rape of a 15-year-old male victim and the repeated performance of oral sex on another and the molestation and indecent assault of other children.