Former St Virgil’s student sues Christian Brothers for historic sexual, physical abuse

A former Catholic college student alleging historic sexual and physical abuse at the school has lashed out at counsel in court, calling him an ‘animal’. What the court heard.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos APRIL 30 2021: Supreme Court of Tasmania, Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Richard Jupe

A former St Virgil’s College student who is suing the school and its founders for alleged physical and sexual abuse has lashed out at a defence lawyer on the second day of a trial, calling him ‘you animal’ before storming out of the court.

David, not his real name, has accused a former St Virgil’s sports coach of sexual and physical abuse and three of the Christian Brothers of physical abuse during his time at the school during 1977 and 1981.

He is suing the Christian Brothers, who founded and then ran the college, for vicarious liability of the staff mentioned.

St Virgil's College in 1950. Picture: UTAS

In Hobart’s Supreme Court on Wednesday, David was cross-examined by the Christian Brothers’ barrister Jack Rush KC over his statement of the events of the alleged sexual abuse.

David stated that the sexual abuse occurred on two occasions with sports coach Stephen Randell – at a school camp in Conningham Beach in 1979 and at his home on his 12th birthday.

Mr Randell, a football coach for the school, was the teacher assigned to David’s hut with other students when he allegedly assaulted him on two nights of the camp, including in the back of Mr Randell’s car and on the floor of the hut.

“I was in the back of the car behind the driver’s seat,” David said.

“I was screaming from everything.”

David alleges both rape and sexual assault during this incident.

Mr Rush however questioned David’s recollection of events, quoting various statements from police, doctors and psychologists that differed from his statements on the first day of the trial.

“This statement was given in 1993, it’s not that long ago,” Mr Rush said.

David lashed out at Mr Rush though, shortly before asking Justice Stephen Estcourt for an adjournment.

St Virgil's College logo

“I don’t feel confident about telling people I don’t know about how I was raped, beaten, abused,” he said.

“Do you want me to tell you more about that, huh? Do you?”

David told the court how he gave evidence of this alleged incident to the 2015 Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse.

David also discussed the alleged physical abuse by Christian Brothers Brother Doolan, Brother Tom Edmunds and Brother Trevor Parton.

He said all three doled out corporal punishment and “scrapped”, with one particular occasion leading David to state he thought he would be killed.

“Brother Parton punished me in front of the whole school,” David said.

“I thought he [Brother Edmunds] was going to murder me the night he put me in a sleeping bag and threw me down the stairs at Southport.”

Part of Mr Rush’s cross-examination included David’s history of drug use, some criminal convictions in Victoria in the early 2000s and mental and physical health issues.

“I made the wrong choices with the wrong people,” David said.

David also told the court he had told other people he believed there was a ‘pedophile ring’ at the school, with sexual abuse of other students being caught on a film camera.

The trial will continue for two weeks, with other former St Virgil’s College students likely to give evidence.

Originally published as Former St Virgil’s student sues Christian Brothers for historic sexual, physical abuse