The Australian’s Shadow of Doubt podcast delayed ‘sadistic’ paedophile’s trial, court documents reveal

<p><strong>Exclusive:</strong> As William ‘Rob’ Gilfillan was about to go on trial for sex offences against two schoolgirls, his barrister told a judge his client’s history was easily discoverable online</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/aug/28/weekly-beast-email-austrailan-media-diary-free-newsletter-subscribe-sign-up?CMP=cvau_sfl">Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter here</a></p></li></ul><p>The Australian’s podcast Shadow of Doubt led to a delay of 10 months for the sex offence trial of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/28/sadistic-man-who-raped-and-tortured-daughter-jailed-for-36-years">“sadistic” paedophile</a> already serving a 48-year jail term for abusing his daughter, court documents have revealed.</p><p>William “Rob” Gilfillan, a former physical education teacher, was to stand trial in Victoria in February last year on five counts of indecent assault and sexual penetration of a person under 16, relating to two schoolgirls in his care in Gippsland in the 1980s.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/oct/12/shadow-of-doubt-podcast-the-australian-victoria-schoolgirls-trial-delay-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>