Victim of sexual abuse by a former Christian Brothers College teacher tells Adelaide court his childhood was destroyed

THE victim of sexual abuse by a former Christian Brothers College teacher has told an Adelaide court that his childhood was destroyed.

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THE victim of sexual abuse by a former Christian Brothers College teacher has told an Adelaide court that his childhood was destroyed — and that he and his family continued to suffer decades after the abuse had ended.

Stephen John Hamra, 61, abused the boy, who was not a student at the school, between 1977 and 1986.

His victim, who is now an adult, read an emotional victim impact statement to Judge Paul Rice in the District Court yesterday, outlining the difficulties that he has faced since the abuse.

“Before the abuse, I was a happy, fun-loving child,” he told the court.

“Afterwards I was angry, depressed and suicidal. I wonder where my life would have been without this abuse.”

Following the crime, the victim decided to leave Adelaide to avoid the possibility of running into his abuser.

“I avoided the possibility of running into him,” he said.

“I shut down my dreams of going to university. When I returned to Adelaide I saw a building site with his name on it and I was transported back to being a frightened child.”

The sexual abuse from such a young age left the victim sexually confused, and that uncertainty had also left decades-old scars.

“I had to come to grips with realising being gay was completely different to being a paedophile,” he said.

The victim had attempted suicide twice and underwent counselling to help him get through the five-year court process, which he told the court had “taken its toll” on his mental health.

Hamra, meanwhile, sat silently through the statements — showing no emotion. Hamra was employed at the Christian Brothers College between 2008 and 2011.

School principal Noel Milfsud wrote to parents saying there were no allegations Hamra had abused anyone at the school during his time as a teacher.

The victim’s mother broke down towards the end of her statement, telling the court her son’s “wonderful, carefree life” had been destroyed by Hamra.

“I’ve gone over this in my head, wondering how I missed the signs. I believed I was a happy and good mother, providing a happy environment.

“Now I am questioning my ability as a mother.”

She told the court Hamra had betrayed her family’s trust and she often thought about whether the abuse had limited her son’s potential.

Judge Rice will hear sentencing submissions for Hamra in July.

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