Type: Media Article
Date: 8 September 2022
Source: The Gold Coast Bulletin
Two former Southport School employees have been named as third parties by the Anglican Church in its defence of a $2.6m sexual and physical abuse claim.
In a shock legal move, the Diocese of Brisbane as the defendant in the personal injury claim before the Supreme Court in Brisbane has issued the “third party notices”.
Ex-TSS student Bill Edgar has lodged the claim which alleges he was the victim of historic sexual and physical abuse at the elite Gold Coast school.
Historic shot — Bill Edgar outside TSS. Pic by David Clark.
In 2013, the Bulletin wrote about Mr Edgar making explosive allegations about the school online and years later launching a Facebook page reaching out to old boys.
His lawyers Slater and Gordon lodged formal legal proceedings in July and compulsory mediation occurred. The Diocese made a “mandatory final offer” but it was rejected.
Mr Edgar started at The Southport School in 1981, having received a five-year sporting scholarship and remained until 1984, staying overnight as a boarder.
His specific allegations of physical and sexual abuse outlined in his claim filed with the court include:
• Former Year 8 English teacher Ron Morse allegedly placing his hands inside his pants and touching him during remedial lessons in early 1981 and 1982.
• An employee allegedly molested and raped him “once to twice weekly” for up to 18 months, forcing him to run away.
• His English teacher Don MacGregor allegedly physically attacked him on multiple occasions in the classroom in 1983 and 1984.
In the Supreme Court documents, MacGregor is accused of “dragging him by his hair along the carpet, lifting him off the ground by his ears” and kicking the young student, calling him a “charity case” not worth teaching.
The Southport School. Pic by David Clark.
The Bulletin understands Morse died before legal proceedings were launched. MacGregor was alive at that point but has since died.
The notice says the Diocese of Brisbane operated and controlled the school and employed the staffer accused of forcing Mr Edgar to “run away”. He is still alive.
MacGregor was employed as an English and Remedial Teacher from 1983 to 1984, the notice says.
The allegations made by Mr Edgar are “not admitted” in a defence served by the Diocese.
But the Diocese in the Third Party Notice says a contract of employment existed between the two employees and the school, where Mr Edgar was owed a duty of care and safety when attending TSS.
If Mr Edgar established any conduct which amounted to the alleged abuse, the Diocese argues the employees would be in breach of their employment contract.
The Diocese would be “entitled to complete indemnity of any liability” to the plaintiff for damages.
The damages for breach of the employment contract would be in “an amount equal to any liability which the defendant (the Diocese) has to the Plaintiff (Mr Edgar). It would include costs for defending the proceedin
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