Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli sued by victim of pedophile priest Desmond Gannon

Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli could cop a million-dollar plus payout after he was sued by the victim of a pedophile priest.

Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli has been sued by a sexual abuse victim.

A sexual abuse survivor who suffered horrors at the hands of a monster pedophile priest has sued Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli.

The survivor, who cannot be named, is seeking compensation for lifelong struggles and anguish after he was sexually abused by former priest Desmond Gannon.

The plaintiff alleges the abuse left him with psychological injuries and disrupted mental health including post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Gannon raped and sexually abused the survivor multiple times between 1968 and 1970, the Supreme Court was told this week.

The survivor thought he would be murdered and “buried in the bush” after a brutal rape in a remote area near Lancefield in 1968.

Gannon’s victim couldn’t sit down and bled for days following the savage attack, the court heard.

The survivor, who still bleeds today, said Gannon stalked him following the abuse.

Gannon was convicted and handed a 25-month jail term in 2009 for his offending against the plaintiff.

Fiona McLeod, for the plaintiff, said the abuse suffered by her client was “explicit, invasive and degrading”.

“It was brutal and violent,” she said.

“He will tell you that he was terrified that there was no one to help him, to shout out or to rescue him.

“He thought Gannon was a priest, therefore he was God …

“In his mind at the time, you could not get any higher authority than the priest.

“He believed who would believe a child compared to a priest and Gannon had told him ‘no one will believe you if you tell anyone’, which made sense to (the plaintiff).”

Desmond Gannon. County Court illustration.

The court heard testimony from the plaintiff who explained how the abuse affected his life including ongoing mental and physical injuries.

The plaintiff also told the court how he descended into alcoholism which led him to commit crime, have trouble holding down a job and affected relationships.

“If you can’t trust a priest who can you trust …,” the plaintiff said.

“I’m slowly killing myself (on alcohol).”

The survivor also detailed a harrowing account of a suicide attempt and how he wants to rid himself of the “demons” in his head.

“How do I end this pain …,” the plaintiff said.

“It’s Gannon, it’s aways Gannon (why I want to kill myself).”

The plaintiff alleged Archbishop Comensoli, as legally responsible for the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, was negligent to allow Gannon near children.

The court heard Gannon, a convicted sex offender who abused multiple children while a member of the Archdiocese, was the subject of a child abuse complaint prior to offending against the plaintiff.

The plaintiff’s legal team has indicated it can prove the Archdiocese was aware of the complaint.

It’s also alleged Gannon abused the plaintiff while carrying out his duty as a priest.

Archbishop Comensoli denied any legal responsibility, citing the abuse occurred prior to the Archdiocese of Melbourne becoming aware Gannon was a child sex abuser.

Archbishop Comensoli also denied Gannon abused his victim while carrying out his duties as member of the Archdiocese.

The plaintiff received $139,000 via the Melbourne Response compensation plan through two payments in 2010 and 2017.

It’s understood the plaintiff will seek a million-dollar plus payout if successful.

“(I want to) make amends for my children hopefully I can help them,” he said.

“I want to buy a house for mum and look after mum.”

The trial before Justice Andrew Keogh continues.

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