Sacked Brisbane Boys College rowing coach David Bellamy sues for $1.1 million
HE was the rowing coach sacked by a Brisbane private school for what he told boys during a sex talk. Now the case has taken a twist.
A ROWING coach sacked by Brisbane Boys College for telling boys not to “wave their wangas” during a sex talk is suing the leading church school for $1.1 million in damages.
David Bellamy is seeking “not less” than $450,000 for breach of contract plus $650,000 damages for defamation, according to a statement of claim filed this morning in the Supreme Court.
The claims against the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association follow a breakdown in settlement negotiations that began last year after Mr Bellamy was dismissed for using the word “wanga”, a slang term for a penis.
Mr Bellamy admitted to headmaster Graeme McDonald he waved his arm in front of his trousers to mimic a penis as he spoke to 50 rowers and coaches on January 14.
After a complaint from a parent Mr Bellamy, 50, from Chelmer in Brisbane’s west, apologised to the headmaster, court documents show.
However, Mr McDonald told staff of Mr Bellamy’s dismissal in an email on February 11.
The documents show that in a letter sent a week earlier, Mr McDonald said he would only reinstate Mr Bellamy and lift his suspension “if he complied with a number of conditions”.
Mr Bellamy, who was on a salary package of $110,340 and a vehicle, would have to provide an “unreserved apology” to the senior rowers, coaches and parents who listened to his address.
DES HOUGHTON: The coach who refused to grovel
Mr Bellamy would also have to admit that his “language and imagery was entirely inappropriate”, and that his conduct “let the boys down”.
Furthermore he would have to apologise to Mr McDonald and “thank him for his support” and acknowledge the school “acted with strong Christian conviction and has offered both forgiveness as well as providing appropriate counselling to successfully resolve the matter”.
Mr Bellamy’s lawyers said those requirements were “unreasonable, contrived, overbearing, dictatorial, vindictive and calculated and intended by Mr McDonald to humiliate and demean the plaintiff (Mr Bellamy)”.
Mr Bellamy’s lawyers allege he was defamed in a press release from the college. And they allege he was defamed in a series of radio and press interviews in which Mr McDonald said Mr Bellamy’s language was inappropriate for a church school.
In a transcript of an interview with Steve Austin on the ABC on February 21 Mr McDonald said: “It is simply not appropriate for a rowing coach to describe sexual behaviour in words of actions to children.
“We are particular adults, we are educators.
“We have a very special obligation of trust to children entrusted to our care.”
However, Mr Bellamy alleges Mr McDonald asked him to speak to the boys following “lewd and sexual behaviour” by boys at a previous rowing camp.
“The incidents involve a student exposing his penis and waving it near and hitting the face of another student,” the documents show.
When he asked Mr Bellamy to speak to the boys about sexual misbehaviour Mr McDonald “made no reference to any religious principles or values”.
“The plaintiff (Mr Bellamy) is not a qualified teacher and does not hold any qualifications associated with delivery of instruction to male students at a secondary school in relation to inappropriate, lewd or sexual behaviour.”
Mr Bellamy said this morning his life had been shattered and he had been unable to get a job because his name was linked to the controversy.
“The school could have ended it much sooner,” he said.
“If you google my name it comes up with stories about sexual misconduct.”
He was working as a labourer.
“I’m really looking forward to putting it all behind us,” he said.
