AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By JOANNE McCARTHY Aug. 7, 2015
THE Marist Brothers have apologised to a Hunter man who is the first to complain he was sexually abused by a Maitland Catholic school principal in the 1970s.
Patrick Garnham received the apology as part of a settlement after telling the Marist Brothers he was sexually abused by Marist Maitland principal Brother Nestor, whose real name is John Littler, in 1976 when he was 11.
Mr Garnham is speaking out because he believed the Marist Brothers were genuinely sorry for the abuse and the impact it had on his life, and because he believes other boys were victims of Brother Nestor, who was principal from 1972-1977 and went on to be charged with multiple child sex offences.
‘‘I know what effect it had on my life, until I spoke about it. For me to come out the other side and be the man I am today, it was important for me to step out of the shadows,’’ Mr Garnham said.
He told the Marist Brothers he was a ‘‘blond-haired, blue-eyed, happy fellow’’ in year 7 in late 1976 when a school loudspeaker crackled into life one morning while he was playing handball near Nestor’s office, and a voice said ‘‘Patrick Garnham wanted in the office by Brother Nestor’’.
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