Victims to Sue Catholic Church

By Nigel Hunt
Adelaide Now
June 16, 2012

www.adelaidenow.com.au/victims-to-sue-catholic-church/story-e6frea6u-1226397602136


VICTIMS of paedophile Brian Perkins are seeking millions of dollars in compensation from the Catholic Church.

In the latest move in the St Ann's Special School controversy, six abuse victims will launch legal action in the District Court over their sexual abuse at the hands of Perkins, who was a bus driver and woodwork teacher at the Marion school.

The Catholic Church paid a significant out-of-court settlement last year to another of Perkins' victims, but has declined to negotiate similar payments to the six intellectually disabled men also claiming compensation.

Perkins, who died in 2009, sexually abused 36 students at St Ann's Special School between 1986 and 1991.

Despite becoming aware of the abuse in 1991, the children's parents were not advised until a decade later when he was arrested. Perkins was sentenced in 2003 to 10 years and six months in jail with a six-year non-parole period after pleading guilty to five offences involving sexual conduct with three students at St Ann's.

After he was sentenced the Catholic Church launched an inquiry, headed by Brian Hayes QC, to examine its handling of the allegations when they were first reported to it in 1991.

It found the church and its agencies failed to properly exercise their duties in several areas that resulted in Perkins sexually abusing the intellectually disabled students.

Following the release of the report the Catholic Church offered the abuse victims "gift" payments ranging from $50,000 to $100,000, depending on the extent of their abuse.

Acceptance of the payment did not preclude the victims from taking legal action against the church, but it would be deducted from any future award if one were made.

Duncan Basheer Hannon lawyer Peter Humphries suggested immediately after last year's settlement a formula to settle the remaining claims, but this was not accepted by the church lawyers.

"We have provided formulated claims for all victims of abuse. There has been no response, so we will now lodge them with the court for resolution," he said.

The mother of one victim, Diane, said the original cover-up of the abuse and subsequent untreated behaviours that resulted from it had "changed the lives of everyone involved" and victims' families were "still dealing with the effects on a daily basis".

"We are all dealing with behavioural issues with our boys as a direct result of what occurred," she said.

A spokeswoman for Archbishop Philip Wilson said he had "from the outset, shown the utmost concern and compassion for the Perkins victims and their families".

"In addition to providing $2.25 million in unconditional, ex-gratia support to the families in 2003, he also funded counselling and provided pastoral support," the spokeswoman said.

Contact: huntn@sundaymail.com.au