Victim of notorious priest Kevin O’Donnell wins $2 million in compensation

The Catholic Church has been forced to pay the victim of out notorious priest Kevin O’Donnell $2 million after initially forking out just $27,000.

THE Catholic Church has been forced to pay out a record $2m in compensation after originally only offering $27,500 to a victim of notorious priest Kevin O’Donnell.

David Kenter won the payout – the largest of its kind in Victorian history – more than 45 years after he was first sexually abused as a nine-year-old altar boy.

Mr Kenter, now 56, said he was relieved the court process was over.

“I was able to fight back and take them on,” he said.

“It’s good to have the money, but it doesn’t change what has happened to me over the course of my life as a result of the abuse.”

O’Donnell inflicted what court documents described as “ongoing and regular horrific sexual abuse” on Mr Kenter from 1975 to 1977.

Complaints were made to the church about O’Donnell – eventually convicted in 1995 for indecent assault against 12 children – more than 15 years before Mr Kenter’s abuse began. But, in court documents from the settlement, the Church denied the abuse was caused by negligence of the Melbourne Archbishop, who was responsible for O’Donnell’s appointment.

“(The Church) should take ownership for the abuse they have allowed to happen over the years,” Mr Kenter said.

David Kenter as a young student. Picture: SUPPLIED

“It feels like you’re continuing to be abused through the whole court process in the way they drag it out.

“The Church are supposed to be good and holy, but just look at how they have treated myself and others.”

The navy veteran said he signed up to the Melbourne Response Scheme – set up by George Pell – in 2003 because he thought it was his only ­option.

He called the scheme, which meant victims agreed to no further legal action in ­exchange for compensation, an “insult to survivors”.

“(It) was just the Church trying to cover itself, throwing cash at people who don’t know any better to keep them quiet,” he said.

“Now I have the record payout in Victoria, so what does that say for their scheme?”

His lawyer Georgia Sneddon, of leading institutional abuse firm Arnold Thomas & Becker, said the initial amount offered to Mr Kenter grossly under-represented his pain, suffering and loss of income.

Laws introduced in 2018 allowed survivors to challenge this compensation.

“The Church continued to use their power in these schemes in order to avoid taking proper responsibility for the impact their priests have had on innocent children,” Ms Sneddon said.

“For years, David and many others had no avenue to obtain proper compensation because of the deeds of release the Church had made them sign.

The Catholic Church has been forced to pay out a record $2 million in compensation after originally only offering $27,500 to a victim of notorious priest Kevin O’Donnell. Picture: Jason Edwards

“My advice to any survivors, is do not enter any scheme or sign any agreements before seeking advice from an experienced abuse lawyer.

“This payout is the highest paid out by the Catholic Church for a sex abuse matter in the state of Victoria’s history.

“No amount of money will ever make up for what David has had to endure, but we hope this compensation will provide him with some security into the future.”

Mr Kenter encouraged other survivors to come ­forward, telling them it wasn’t too late.

“Take them for every cent you can.”

A spokeswoman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne said while they cannot comment on individual cases, they were “appalled by the nature of such crimes” and have “publicly apologised to all survivors”.

“The Archbishop understands that court proceedings are a difficult process which may result in further traumatisation, and so we seek to reduce, wherever possible, that occurring.

“At the same time, we respect the rights of individuals to take whatever action they feel is best for them.

“We urge anyone with matters relating to any form of abuse to report it immediately to Victoria Police or to contact the Archdiocesan Professional Standards Unit: 03 9926 5630 or [e-mail].”

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Originally published as Victim of notorious priest Kevin O’Donnell wins $2 million in compensation