St Stanislaus College (Bathurst) - Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

During 2007 former priests, chaplains and teachers came under investigation over child sexual abuse that is alleged that up to 40 boys were sexually abused at the school from the 1960s through to the early 1990s. Local and national media reported that "chanting, spells and sex orgies" took place against boys of small stature.

At least four people associated with St Stanislaus' College have faced legal proceedings due to alleged sexual abuse. One, Brian Spillane, an ordained priest, was initially charged with 33 counts in 2008, including six counts of sexual intercourse with pupils from St Stanislaus' College. In 2009 this was extended to 146 offences. Although many of these cases are still ongoing, Spillane was convicted in November 2010 of nine counts of indecent assault against three girls aged between eight and seventeen while he was based in both Bathurst and Sydney, for which he was sentenced to nine years in custody in 2012. Kevin Phillips, another ordained priest, plead guilty to four counts of gross indecency with a child under the age of 18, resulting in concurrent sentences of 9 months under the first three charges, and an additional 9 months for the fourth.

Along with Spillane and Phillips, two other men have been charged with sexual abuse cases related to the school: one with five counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault; and one who was charged with 28 sex offences.