(AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC [Sydney, Australia]
March 16, 2025
By Loretta Lohberger
In short:
A man suing the Christian Brothers in the Supreme Court of Tasmania has settled his case part-way through the civil trial.
The man previously told the court he had been sexually and physically abused while a student at St Virgil’s College in Hobart.
What’s next?
The settlement details are being finalised.
A civil court matter involving allegations of sexual and physical abuse at a Hobart Catholic school in the late 1970s and early 1980s has been resolved part-way through the trial.
Callum* told the Supreme Court in Hobart last week that he was sexually abused by school sports coach Stephen Randell and priest Phillip Green while he was a student at St Virgil’s College in Hobart, which was run by the Christian Brothers at the time.
He also told the court he was physically abused by a lay teacher Tom Burke, and three other Christian Brothers who were teachers at the school — a brother Doolan, Brother Tom Edmunds and Brother Trevor Parton.
Callum’s legal team argued the Christian Brothers were vicariously liable for Randell and the teachers.
Callum gave evidence in court on Monday and Tuesday.
The court also heard from lay witnesses who had been students at St Virgil’s, and from one who had been taught by one of the brothers at a different school.
The trial was expected to continue in Hobart this week, but Callum’s lawyer Angela Sdrinis said the Christian Brothers made an offer to settle on Saturday.
Ms Sdrinis said Callum accepted the offer.
She said the adversarial legal system was “not the best way to deal with abuse claims”.”It is very difficult for historical abuse survivors to have to go through what happened to them again and again,” she said.
“It’s not the best way to deal with abuse claims, but it’s the only system we’ve got and our client was brave enough to take his matter to court, to give his evidence, to be cross-examined, but in the end he felt that it was appropriate to resolve his claim, and we supported him in his decision.”
Ms Sdrinis also thanked all of the lay witnesses “who came and gave evidence and were prepared to give evidence”.
The amount offered by the Christian Brothers has not been disclosed.
*Name has been changed.
Sexual assault support services:
- Sexual Assault Support Service (Tasmania): 1800 697 877
- 1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732
- Sexual Assault Counselling Australia: 1800 211 028
- Bravehearts (support for child sexual abuse survivors): 1800 272 831
Other helplines:
- Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- Tasmania’s Victims of Crime Service: 1300 300 238
- CLAN Care Leavers Australia Network 1800 008 774