A Melbourne man watched pornography at work before sexually abusing eight severely disabled men who were effectively captive in his care, a court has heard.
Former Department of Human Services (DHS) disability support officer Craig Gilbert Handasyde, 47, assaulted residents at various Victorian care facilities over a period of about 13 years.
His crimes weren't revealed until a "terribly sorry" Handasyde, motivated by his Christian faith, confessed to police last year, the Victorian County Court has heard.
"I am so completely, overwhelmingly shocked with myself," Handasyde said through his barrister on Monday.
"Please forgive me for what I have done, these offences and the pain you have endured."
The Croydon man has pleaded guilty to 11 counts of committing indecent acts between 1997 and 2011 against a person with cognitive impairment.
Prosecutor Raymond Gibson said Handasyde's victims, men aged in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, were vulnerable and "effectively captive" people dependent on their carers.
Some of them are barely able to communicate, Mr Gibson said.
The court heard Handasyde cuddled against some of the men while naked, and masturbated others.
He also exposed himself, walking into bedrooms or the lounge room while naked.
Defence barrister Paul Higham said Handasyde had developed a "secret self" that contributed to the offending.
He presented himself as a happily married, heterosexual, Christian father of eight, but was fundamentally homosexually oriented.
His wife believed sex was for procreation only.
Handasyde watched gay pornography in secret at work and then began to offend against his vulnerable clients, the court heard.
One victim, who is partially deaf and blind, had become a "very disturbed" young man as a result, the court heard.
"You betrayed him," his mother told Handasyde.
Another victim wouldn't have realised he was being victimised, his father said.
"Our sense of betrayal has been overwhelming and distressing," he said.
Handasyde, who no longer works for the department, will be sentenced by Judge Gavan Meredith at a later date.
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