Alleged Carey Grammar abuse victim ‘relieved’ after the school settles claim out of court
Carey Grammar has settled a historical abuse claim brought by a former student, who alleged she was abused by a former teacher and another man, not long before the trial was set to begin.
Carey Grammar School has settled a historical abuse claim brought by a former student who made claims against a teacher and another man associated with the school in the late 1980s.
The woman, known by the pseudonym Beatrice Ball, settled with the school and a second defendant ten days before a Supreme Court trial was due to take place. Ms Ball was one of more than 30 former pupils who have come forward alleging abuse at Carey Grammar spanning the 1960s through to the 1990s, involving 26 staff members. These include teachers and non-teaching staff.
It is the first in a series of legal proceedings run by Judy Courtin Legal on behalf of former Carey students who allege they were subjected to sexual abuse, grooming and/or serious physical assaults by school staff.
Another firm, Arnold Thomas & Becker, is investigating three additional historic abuse claims relating to Carey Grammar, with allegations made against academic staff, a sports coach and after school care worker.
Judy Courtin, principal of Judy Courtin Legal, said the Ball matter “has successfully settled, relieving our client of the burden of having to face the further trauma of a trial”.
“Survivors are very courageous. It can take decades, if ever, for a child to disclose sexual abuse. The shame and trauma run very deep.”
“Sadly, the legal process can be gruelling and far from trauma-informed, but in speaking up, our brave clients are reclaiming the power that was stolen from them as a child,” she said.
The victims reportedly claimed they were abused in the schoolyard, during school-run camps, in teachers’ cars, and during “unsupervised tutoring”, complaints made to the law firm suggested.
A former Carey Grammar sport teacher who used to allegedly watch students undress and take showers known as “Merv the perv” is one of the 26 educators at the centre of historic child abuse claims at the up-market school.
“Merv the perv” taught at the school for many years and one former student alleged that “almost every student at the school throughout the 80s knew him by that name”.
Since the allegations were first raised three years ago, former students have been destroying photos in the school archives of alleged perpetrators and sharing stories of “violent, psycho” and “creepy” teachers.
In a survivor statement, Ms Ball said it had “taken 35 years for me to find the courage and strength to stand up for myself and use my voice to express what happened to me when I was a student at Carey.”
“Facing up to the offenders and holding the school to account has been the hardest thing I have ever done, and I am just so relieved that this part of my healing journey is finally over.”
“I knew the legal process would be challenging, but it has been significantly more difficult and distressing than I could have imagined.”
“One benefit of this harrowing process is that, over time, I have incrementally transformed from a terrified, ashamed, and embarrassed victim to a determined survivor. The shame is no longer mine to carry.”
“I want to thank my barrister, Gideon Boas, and Judy Courtin and her incredible, compassionate team for everything they have done to advocate, guide and support me. I quite literally could not have done it without them.”
The terms of the settlement agreement will remain confidential.
The school has been contacted for comment. Principal Jonathan Walter has previously urged any other alleged survivors to come forward.
