SA court asked to overturn Blackfriars Prior School settlement over child sex abuse committed in 1988 by Ronald William Hopkins

Yet another sex abuse claim has been levelled against one of the state’s top Catholic schools – this time involving a convicted serial child predator.

A top private school knew one of its teachers was a sex predator four years before he assaulted a student but did nothing to stop him, a court has heard.

Blackfriars Priory School has been accused, by a former student, of negligence over the actions of ex-teacher and convicted serial pedophile Ronald William Hopkins in 1988.

The student, “AB”, is the third man to sue the school in the past 16 months, following on from allegations made against two other teachers – one of whom is its ex-principal.

In his documents, AB asks the Supreme Court to overturn the $200,000 settlement he and the school reached in 2013, and reconsider his matter.

Ronald William Hopkins outside the District Court in April 1999. Picture: Mike Burton

“Blackfriars had knowledge, prior to 1988, that Hopkins was sexually assaulting children at its school,” he says in court papers.

“In particular, in about 1984 or 1985, a father of a student reported to Brother Brendon (O’Hearn) that Hopkins had sexually assaulted his son.

“Following that report, Blackfriars failed to take action to investigate Hopkins and put in place measures that would ensure he would not be alone with children.

“It failed to dismiss him from his employment and report the complaint to SA Police or the Education Department.

“It failed to investigate the conduct of Hopkins prior to his employment, including why he had been counselled to leave the Christian Brothers due to concerns as to his interest in his students.”

Blackfriars, however, insists its duty of care to AB “was discharged”, that it did not “pressure” him to settle the matter and it is therefore neither “just nor reasonable” to restart the case.

Blackfriars Priory School. Picture: Keryn Stevens

AB’s case is one of three matters against Blackfriars currently before the state’s courts.

In the first, a man claims he was assaulted by former principal and Catholic priest, Father Martin Wallace, who has declined to comment on the allegations.

He further claims the school compiled “almost 100 documents” about the alleged sexual abuse “of multiple students” during a “22-year cover-up”.

The second man claims he was assaulted by Joseph William Weygood, and that Father Wallace punished him for reporting it, saying “don’t you ever say no to a teacher again”.

The courts have also heard between seven and 10 other men are considering filing claims.

Blackfriars has denied the claims and denounced the accusations of a cover-up as “totally untrue”.

In 2006, Hopkins was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, five counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency.

In 2011, his sentence was extended by two years, and his seven-year non-parole period by 15 months, for further offending.

At the time, the District Court heard Hopkins was 75, had incurable cancer and was likely to die in jail.

Hopkins, pictured in April 1999, had multiple convictions for child sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s. Picture: Mike Burton

In his court papers, AB says he settled his claim in 2013 out of concern that a statutory limitation would prevent him from receiving any compensation.

He asks the court to set aside that deed of settlement and order Blackfriars pay him “compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages”, as well as interest.

In its papers, Blackfriars says the settlement should stand.

“AB was not pressured in any way by Blackfriars to make a decision about settling … Blackfriars did not engage in unfair or oppressive conduct,” it says.

“Blackfriars admits it owed a duty of care, but says (it) was to take reasonable steps to minimise the risk of harm to AB and, further, that such duty was discharged.

“In the circumstances, it is not just nor reasonable to set aside the prior deed.”

The case continues.