The victim, who cannot be named, said he was pleased that John Laidlaw, 80, was jailed today for four-and-a-half years with a minimum 38 months to be served before being eligible for parole.

"He's going to jail. I'm very pleased he's being held accountable. His crimes were read out in court and he's now a registered sex offender," the victim said.

"He possibly won't survive jail. The whole criminal justice process has been very satisfying. It's a bit unreal.

"After such a long time justice has been done ... it's actually happened. Finally someone believed what had been going on."

The victim said the offences Laidlaw pleaded guilty to were committed between 1963 and 1984.

"I believe he would have continue to offend. I believe there are a lot more victims out there."

The man said he didn't know the other Warrnambool victim in today's Laidlaw case.

"It is surprising that today in the Melbourne County Court there were two priests and a brother involved in sex abuse case who all have connections to Warrnambool," he said.

"It's amazing, it was so extensive," he said.

Earlier: A former Warrnambool Christian Brother has been jailed for sexually abusing students in Victoria over more than two decades.

John Sutherland Laidlaw, 80, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault and two of sexually penetrating a child while teaching at various Catholic schools in the state between 1963 and 1984.

His six victims were boys aged 12 to 17.

County Court Judge Peter Berman on Thursday jailed Laidlaw for four-and-a-half years, noting he could die in prison.

"You are going to jail for a finite number of years. Your victims will never be free from the effects of your exploitation of them," he said.

"Had you done recently what you did so long ago, much longer sentences would have been imposed."

Laidlaw must spend at least three years and two months behind bars before being eligible for release on parole.

A Christian Brother who sexually assaulted two boys while working as a sports coach in Warrnambool in 1963 spent Wednesday night behind bars.

The Standard revealed two months ago that Laidlaw, who was a volunteer welfare officer at the Collingwood Football Club, intended to plead guilty.

The Age reported Laidlaw was shuffled between schools after the Warrnambool crimes despite a report raising concerns he was unfit to work with children.

He was moved between six Victorian schools up until the late 1980s and another school in Adelaide despite a 1973 report doubting his suitability because of allegations of improper conduct and "serious indiscretions" at past schools.

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.