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Jury awards $2.2 million to abuse survivor after Marist Brothers legal team attacked his credibility

Greg Barclay accused of being a 'money-grubber' and fabricating evidence, but Supreme Court jury rejects defence claims

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time2 min
Sources4 outlets
A Supreme Court jury has awarded more than $2.2 million to Greg Barclay, a survivor of historical clerical abuse at the former St Colman's College in Shepparton, rejecting aggressive claims by the Marist Brothers' legal team that he was a 'money-grubber' whose testimony had the 'credibility of a $3 note'.

Greg Barclay was repeatedly accused of fabricating and exaggerating evidence during the 12-day civil trial, including allegations that he faked details about two suicide attempts after being sexually abused by brother John Anthony Skehan in 1970.

Barrister Jack Pappas, acting for the Trustees of the Marist Brothers, branded Barclay a 'money-grubber' motivated by greed and dismissed some of his testimony as 'balderdash, piffle and rot'.

'I suggest to you [there] was a performance by Mr Barclay on the morning of the second day of his evidence, unabashed display of faux emotion, gasping for air, huffing and puffing, struggling to get words out, the full enchilada,' Pappas told the jury.

'He pretended in front of you, and he pretended to doctors about the after effects and the continuing impact of the abuse upon him when he was 14 years old. He exaggerated symptoms and disabilities and consequences, all seeking sympathy and damages to which he is just not entitled.'

Despite these contentions, the jury found in favour of Barclay, awarding him more than $2.2 million in damages for the abuse he suffered more than five decades ago.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The verdict reinforces that survivors of historical clerical abuse can succeed in civil claims even when church institutions mount aggressive credibility attacks.
  • The award amount, exceeding $2 million, signals that courts are prepared to hold religious orders financially accountable.
  • The case highlights the ongoing emotional and legal toll on survivors who must relive trauma under cross-examination.

Background

Greg Barclay alleged he was sexually abused by brother John Anthony Skehan in 1970 at St Colman's College in Shepparton, a Catholic boarding school run by the Marist Brothers. The abuse occurred when he was 14. The civil trial last month involved intense scrutiny of Barclay's mental health history and motivations. The Marist Brothers, through their legal team, argued that Barclay had exaggerated or fabricated the ongoing impact of the abuse. The jury's verdict rejects those claims.

Key Perspectives

[Survivor community]: The outcome provides a measure of justice and validates the experiences of many who have faced similar institutional denial. It may encourage other survivors to pursue claims. [Marist Brothers / Religious institutions]: The church argues that such large awards can strain their limited resources, and that they are unfairly targeted by claimants seeking financial gain. The defence's aggressive tactics, though rejected here, reflect a common legal strategy to discredit plaintiffs. [Legal experts]: The case demonstrates the high bar survivors must clear, even when juries ultimately rule in their favour. The use of derisive language by the defence may attract scrutiny from legal ethics bodies.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Marist Brothers will appeal the jury's verdict or the quantum of damages.
  • Future civil cases against religious orders, particularly those relying on similar credibility challenges.
  • Potential legislative reforms to make it easier for survivors to sue institutions without facing such personal attacks in court.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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