A traumatised sexual abuse survivor of Australia s worst ever paedophile priest has won a $1.5million from the Catholic Church payout hours before a trial.
The man, who does not wish to be named, was a student at the notorious St Alipius Christian Brothers Primary School in Ballarat, Victoria, between 1971 to 1973.
He alleges he was sexually abused by his Year 3 teacher Brother Leo Fitzgerald and by his Year 5 teacher Brother Stephen Farrell.
The man was also a target of notorious child sex predator Father Gerald Ridsdale, who was a priest of the Diocese of Ballarat, served as the school s Chaplain, and lived at the the presbytery opposite the school.
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The Catholic Church’s private insurer spent more than $58 million paying out the victims of sexual abuse last year and the company is being forced to raise fresh capital and liquidate investments to cover a future compensation bill worth at least another $238 million.
Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) has posted nearly a $250 million loss as it struggles to meet a wave of new claims in the wake of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
St Patrick s Cathedral, home of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Credit:Pat Scala
CCI, which insures Catholic parishes, religious institutions, welfare groups, aged care facilities and schools across Australia for incidents of property damage, loss and injury, has also covered compensation and legal costs for sexual abuse committed in many church organisations since 1969.