Former Salvation Army man jailed for historic sex offences

William Steele was sentenced today in the District Court of Western Australia to three and a half years jail. Photo / Google

A 73-year-old man who sexually abused boys as young as 11 when he was a senior member of the Salvation Army in Perth has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

William Edwin Steele indecently assaulted boys aged between 11 and 18 from 1963 to 1990, but the court heard he has demonstrated no remorse and continues to deny the offending, maintaining he was "set up" and even talking about his victims in a degrading way.

The District Court of Western Australia heard the father of four, who became a sergeant major, exploited his position of power in the church, committing the most serious offences against the youngest victim, who was a fellow band member, when Steele was then aged 19.

He told the child after sexually assaulting him it was "what people did".

The court heard Steele also exploited his authority as a manager of a CBD fruit and vegetable market, masturbating in front of a 14-year-old boy in the kitchen and telling him to perform a sexual act.

The teenager fled downstairs and told his uncle, who also worked there.

Steele also twice took a 17-year-old boy who he knew through the church band to a South Perth apartment that he kept secret from his wife and kissed him, telling him he was "special".

"In essence, it appears you were leading a double life," Judge Ronald Birmingham said during sentencing on Friday.

Judge Birmingham said Steele last offended when he was aged 46 and while he'd got on with his life, his victims had carried the burden of what happened to them.

One of his victims, a relative, had been shunned by family members who didn't believe him but said in his victim impact statement he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders after he testified at Steele's jury trial in April.

Judge Birmingham said the offending was persistent and he could not suspend Steele's jail term as the punishment needed to reflect the community's condemnation of such crimes against children.

As he was led out of the dock, walking slowly with the help of a cane, Steele's wife of 52 years tried to hug him but was prevented by security.

He will be eligible for parole when he has served half of his term.

- AAP