Kyle Sandilands settles court case over lewd Virgin Mary comments

A potentially damaging religious vilification case against Kyle Sandilands relating to lewd comments about the Virgin Mary has been narrowly avoided.

A court case sparked by Kyle Sandilands’s lewd comments about the Virgin Mary has quietly been settled out of court, avoiding a potentially bruising public hearing.

The religious vilification case relates to 2019 when Mr Sandilands said of the biblical figure: “The mother lied obviously and told everyone: ‘No, I got pregnant by a magical ghost’.”

“That damn husband believed that bullshit story and then ran around telling everyone: ‘My son is the son of God’.

“Bullshit. Someone chokablocked her behind the camel shed and she lied and everyone believed her for 1000 years.”

Kyle Sandilands’s comments about the Virgin Mary angered Christian and Muslim groups. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The outburst sparked a major backlash from religious groups, with some believers driven to protest outside the KISS FM station.

Mr Sandilands publicly apologised for his Virgin Mary comments on September 20, 2019.

“Truly, from the bottom of my heart, never do I want to make someone so angry that they don’t want to listen to the show or to me,” Mr Sandilands said.

“In reflection I know what I said was dumb and I am the dumb one for saying it. Who am I to say what (others) should believe in?”

Lawyer Rick Mitry said targeting someone’s religious beliefs is unfair. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

Sydney lawyer Rick Mitry has been representing Canberra man and Maronite Christian Khalil Farah in a religious vilification case against Mr Sandilands in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Similar religious vilification laws do not exist in NSW.

Mr Farah claimed in court documents that the broadcaster’s comments “incited hatred towards, revulsion of, serious contempt for or severe ridicule of people of Christian faith”.

On Tuesday the parties came to a confidential agreement one day before a court-ordered mediation.

Mr Mitry said “the matter was settled on favourable terms”. Mr Sandilands declined to comment.

Kyle Sandilands has barred Premier Dominic Perrottet from his radio show.

In an unrelated matter, last month Mr Mitry, also a Maronite Christian, said he was appalled when Mr Sandilands told KIIS FM listeners he would be barring Premier Dominic Perrottet from his show because he didn’t like his “vibe”.

The comments were made when Mr Sandilands was discussing Mr Perrottet’s conservative Catholic views with a guest clairvoyant.

“Oh this guy’s gotta go, he’s never allowed on the show guys, just so you know,” Mr Sandilands told listeners.

“He’s not allowed, I don’t want that rubbish.”

Mr Mitry told The Sunday Telegraph at the time it’s “not a crime to be a Christian”.

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Originally published as Kyle Sandilands settles court case over lewd Virgin Mary comments