Former Surf Coast mayor Brian McKiterick paid out by Christian Brothers, Vincentian Fathers after institutional sexual abuse

A former Surf Coast mayor won a $550,000 settlement from two Catholic religious orders five days before his institutional abuse case was due to begin in the Supreme Court.

Former Surf Coast mayor and retired police sergeant Brian McKiterick. Picture: Peter Ristevski

A former Surf Coast mayor won a $550,000 settlement from two Catholic religious orders five days before his institutional abuse case was due to begin in the Supreme Court.

Brian McKiterick reached the settlement with the Christian Brothers and Vincentian Fathers after he was sexually abused by two priests at two separate schools.

A writ was filed in the Supreme Court by Mr McKiterick’s lawyers in September 2022 but he initially came forward with the allegations about four years ago.

During the 1970s, Mr McKiterick was groomed and sexually abused at Parade College, run by the Christian Brothers, in Melbourne and St Vincent’s College, run by the Vincentian Fathers, in Bendigo.

From 1972 to 1975, he was groomed and abused by Parade’s vice-principal and teacher Brother Duckworth, where he attended from grade 6 to form 3.

Mr McKiterick was again groomed and abused by maths teacher Father Murray Wilson at St Vincent’s from form 3 to 5.

The former policeman, who retired this week after 45 years in the force, said the settlement was a “bittersweet” result.

“Whatever the result would have been, it wouldn’t have taken away the pain or made me forget,” he said.

“It was a gruelling four years and brought back a lot of memories I had tried to suppress.”

Mr McKiterick said he was “disappointed” by the actions of the church during the legal process.

His lawyers had to obtain a copy of his yearbook from St Vincent’s College to prove his attendance after the Vincentian Fathers would not agree he was enrolled.

“They made the process that much more difficult,” Mr McKiterick said.

“I thought in this day and age, the church would be more receptive to those who had been abused by their clergy.”

Mr McKiterick is seeking a public apology from both religious orders.

“I’ll be fighting just as rigorously to get those apologies,” he said.

“It is significant to me that I get a real apology.”

Mr McKiterick hopes this outcome will give other abuse survivors the confidence to come forward.

The settlement states the religious orders have not admitted liability for abuse against Mr McKiterick.

Arnold, Thomas and Becker lawyer Cameron Doig said the outcome showed the power of civil litigation to shine a spotlight on “the church’s notorious and sordid history of shuffling around known paedophile priests”.

“Despite the defendants’ denials and deflections, Brian’s persistence forced the Christian Brothers and Vincentian Fathers to concede and pay him this substantial sum to avoid court,” he said.

“The church’s apologies demonstrate how ordinary people like Brian can use the courts to achieve true accountability and recognition from powerful and wealthy defendants.”

A spokesman from the Christian Brothers Oceania Province would not comment publicly on matters subject to the legal process.

“More broadly, we reiterate our longstanding message urging any person who has experienced abuse in any of our facilities to come forward at the time of their own choosing through one of the pathways available to them,” the spokesman said.

The Vincentian Fathers did not respond to requests for comment.

Originally published as Former Surf Coast mayor Brian McKiterick paid out by Christian Brothers, Vincentian Fathers after institutional sexual abuse