Student told ‘don’t say no to a teacher’ and given detention when he reported alleged sexual abuse by Blackfriars teacher Joseph Weygood, court documents show

A student allegedly sexually abused by a Blackfriars teacher was punished when he reported what happened, court documents assert – and what the former principal said was shocking.

A second former Blackfriars student has filed a lawsuit alleging he was sexually abused at the school.

A Blackfriars student who reported his alleged sexual abuse by a teacher to his principal was punished with detention and told “don’t you ever say no to a teacher again”, court documents assert.

The former student has taken District Court action against the Catholic school, alleging he was abused by Joseph William Weygood between 1992 and 1996.

In his court papers, the student claims he reported the abuse to the school’s then-principal, Catholic priest Father Martin Wallace, in 1993.

“During this interaction, Father Wallace said words to the effect of ‘don’t you ever say no to a teacher again, otherwise you’ll be getting another withdrawal room added to your record and you can spend the next three days there’,” he asserts.

Teacher Joseph William Weygood, far left, in class a photograph from St Josephs and Sacred Heart from 1967 year book.

“I yelled at Father Wallace and continued to advise of the abuse that I had suffered at the hands of Mr Weygood.

“Rather than take any action against Mr Weygood, Father Wallace sent me to the withdrawal room … I spent many days in the withdrawal room after reporting the abuse.”

The now-adult man, who cannot be named, is the second former student to take legal action against Blackfriars this year over allegations of sexual abuse.

In July, another former student sought access to the school’s files, claiming it had complied “almost 100 documents” about sexual abuse during a “22-year cover-up”.

He further claimed he had been sexually assaulted by Father Wallace, and that the abuse was never reported to police.

In his court papers, that student said he filed suit after being approached by private investigators and the school’s current principal, seeking to broker a financial settlement.

The school denied the allegations against it, complied with court orders to hand over the files and said two further students had come forward with claims of sexual abuse.

Father Wallace, meanwhile, said he “would like to, but was not in a position to” respond to the first student’s allegations against him.

He has not been charged with child sex offences.

Mr Weygood stood trial in December 2019, accused of child sex offending between 1968 and 1970, and was acquitted of all charges.

Former Blackfriars Primary School principal and Catholic priest, Father Martin Wallace, in October 2000.

The second student alleges, in his court papers, Mr Weygood sexually assaulted him “on many occasions” including “in a secluded area of the school” and while “sitting at a desk”.

“When a fellow student died in a car accident, Mr Weygood advised all students in the class to take off their shirts and give each other sensual massages in front of him,” he asserts.

“I, and other students, were fearful of Mr Weygood due to his proclivity to commit acts of violence against students and acquiesced to his strange and concerning requests.”

The student alleges he reported the abuse to another teacher in 1996 but “no action was taken by the school”.

He further alleges he was contacted by the same private investigator in February this year.

The former student asks the court order Blackfriars release “any and all documentation” it has about “any allegations, reports or investigations of abuse” by Mr Weygood.

Such information will, he asserts, allow him to seek advice and consider a lawsuit “against the school, or against Father Wallace and Mr Weygood in their personal capacity”.

“Since Mr Weygood was acquitted, he has moved to Thailand to teach English to young boys,” he asserts in his court papers.

In court on Wednesday, counsel for Blackfriars said they were still in the process of seeking instructions about the second student’s case.

However, they said they anticipated filing a list of the documents they held to the court “by close of business”.

Andrew Carpenter, for the student, told the court a third person had also filed a claim against the school for documents about other alleged abuse.

He said a fourth person had also come forward, and that claim was in the process of being drafted.

He asked all four matters be listed in court together for further hearing.

The court agreed, and adjourned the three existing cases and the imminent fourth case until later this month.