Bullying and intimidation claims ...

NEWS.com.au
February 17, 2014

http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/bullying-and-intimidation-claims-against-catholic-church-by-father-of-victim-of-sex-monster-brian-perkins/story-fnii5yv4-1226829573235

Former Catholic school bus driver Brian Perkins after his arrest in Queensland in 2002. Source: The Advertiser

Perkins tries to disguise himself with a plastic bag during a court hearing. Picture: Michael Milnes

Perkins uses a cardboard folder to hide his face as he is driven to court. Picture: Michael Milnes

THE Catholic Church is bullying and intimidating families seeking justice for the sexual abuse of their intellectually disabled children, a victim’s father claims.

Peter Mitchell says the church has deliberately frustrated victims’ parents by failing to resolve 12 years of legal battles over the molestation of 36 students by paedophile Brian Charles Perkins at St Ann’s Special School more than 20 years ago.

But the church has denied causing any delays in legal proceedings, saying it has provided counselling and support to families.

Mr Mitchell has launched an online petition, which has gathered more than 16,000 signatures, to raise awareness about the case ahead of formal hearings by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Adelaide next month.

Eight people abused as children by Perkins have lodged civil claims against the church and St Ann’s Special School.

They have asked the District Court to award them damages because the school and church failed to protect them from Perkins’ crimes.

Between 1987 and 1991 he videotaped, photographed and sexually assaulted 36 students at the Marion school, where he worked as a volunteer bus driver.

Perkins fled interstate and was not arrested for his crimes until 2002.

He was jailed a year later and has since died in custody.

The parents of Perkins’ victims are seeking between $1 million and $4 million compensation each.

Mr Mitchell said the church was still fighting families every step of the way and called on Archbishop Philip Wilson to end the misery by settling the legal actions.

He said parents of abuse victims were now aged in their 60s and 70s and were finding it increasingly difficult to care for their children.

“The church is hypocritical. In public they say they are deeply sorry, but in reality they continue to act appallingly — bullying and intimidating us via their legal team,” he said.

“With the Royal Commission coming to Adelaide, it will be intolerable if Archbishop Wilson just gets up and mouths the same old platitudes about being sorry.

“If he is truly repentant, he will immediately move to end this injustice.”

A spokeswoman for Archbishop Wilson said the church had shown “utmost concern and compassion” from the outset.

“In addition to providing $2.25 million in unconditional, ex-gratia support to the families in 2003, without requiring any proof of abuse, the Archbishop also apologised for the abuse perpetrated by the bus driver, funded counselling and provided pastoral support,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Archbishop’s unwavering view is that, as the families of a number of former students are now seeking more money through legal proceedings, those proceedings must be dealt with justly, fairly and as quickly as possible for the families concerned.

“The Archdiocese has not been the cause of any delays in these proceedings.”

To view the petition, visit the change.org website at: www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/our-children-were-sexually-abused-in-catholic-church-care-now-their-lawyers-are-crushing-our-families