‘Crucial for our client’: Witness call for past students, staff from Mt Carmel College

Lawyers representing a person who boarded at a Charters Towers school are appealing for any past students or staff to contact them as they try to gather evidence of the school’s culture in the ‘80s.

Pictures from Mount Carmel College taken off slides from the late 60s (estimate).

Lawyers representing a person who boarded at Mount Carmel College in the ‘80s are appealing for any past students or staff to contact them.

Mount Carmel College was a boarding and day school located in Charters Towers and was run by the Christian Brothers from 1902 to 1997 before it was handed to the Catholic diocese and incorporated into Columbia Catholic College.

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers abuse law specialist Heather Kerley said it was a common misconception that a call for witnesses was searching for other victims.

“There is a misconception that these notices are only looking for victims,” Ms Kerley said.

“But we are also looking for people who can say who was attending the school at the time and what the discipline was like, for example.”

Old pictures from the Mount Carmel dorms. Photo reported to be taken in the 30s, past students confirmed the dorms still looked identical throughout the 70s and 80s.

Ms Kerley said the more people who can corroborate their client’s story about the school’s culture and prove his recollections were accurate, the stronger his case becomes.

“We ran an initial witness notice awhile ago, and we did that because we were looking for historic records to prove our client went to the school,” she said.

Pictures from inside a Mount Carmel College classroom.

“Because the school said they had no records of him being there.”

That first witness notice ended up being seen by a former student who now lived internationally.

“He had school books in his mother’s attic that proved our client was at the school in those years,” Ms Kerley said.

Townsville Catholic Education took over control of Mount Carmel College in 1998 and said they were unaware of the historical abuse allegations.

“Townsville Catholic Education is committed to assisting authorities on all matters relating to historical abuse claims,” a spokesperson said.

“We are committed to co-operating with authorities and victims who request historical records subject to the Privacy Act.”

Maurice Blackburn state leader for abuse practice Heather Kerley.

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are currently building a case before the Townsville Supreme Court that their client, a boy boarded in the 1980s, was repeatedly sexually abused while at the school by three people in positions of authority.

“We know there are more victims,” Ms Kerley said.

“We are calling on any witnesses who feel comfortable to reach out to us. It is anonymous but your information could be crucial for our client who is in a David vs. Goliath fight.”

Swimming bath at the Mount Carmel Christian Brothers College, Charters Towers

Past students or staff with information on how abuse was reported or handled at the school, or with information about who was attending and working there, are encouraged to contact the law firm.

“It doesn’t have to be the years in the 80s either,” Ms Kerley said.

“Finding out what was happening before or after that period could tell us a lot too.”

Witnesses can contact Maurice Blackburn Lawyers on 07 5430 8713 or [e-mail]

Originally published as ‘Crucial for our client’: Witness call for past students, staff from Mt Carmel College