A man who was sexually abused at his primary school by a former Ballarat teacher has been awarded a record payout from Victoria's Education Department.
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The victim, who was abused by Vincent Reynolds in north-east Victoria in 1984, was awarded $1,552,725 in a written decision made by the Supreme Court this week.
It is believed to be the largest compensation ruling for a victim of abuse against the education department.
It offered some positive news for victims of abuse in a week where serious concerns have been raised about a law that prevents survivors from speaking out.
Reynolds should have been in prison in 1984, not in my classroom
- Survivor's statement
The man who successfully fought for compensation released a statement through his lawyer in which he said it felt "good to have been heard."
"Reynolds should have been in prison in 1984, not in my classroom," he said. "The Education Department knew he was a sick child abuser, knew that he preyed on kids, but they turned him loose on me and my classmates, and on lots of other kids in country Victoria.
"The Government and its lawyers were hoping I wouldn't have the guts to go to trial. They stuffed that up. When I was a child I couldn't defend myself. But I am not that kid anymore. I stood my ground and I won. And I want other victims to know this: you're not alone.
"I know that legal battles aren't for everyone, but for me it was so important to get some justice. The judge listened to me and to my wife and she understood that these things don't just go away when you grow up. They live with you, they haunt you."
Reynolds was convicted last year on 42 counts of indecent assault against young boys of primary school age, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
He had spent more than 30 years as a teacher, including more than a decade at schools in the Ballarat region, where he began his teaching career at Ballarat Teachers College.
Grace Wilson, a partner at Rightside Legal, who represented the survivor, said her client had demonstrated "unbelievable courage and tenacity".
She said the ruling showed there were financial consequences "if you protect reputations at the expense of a victim's health and happiness and career."
After training in the late 1950s, Reynolds spent a very brief spell in 1960 at Sebastopol Primary School, followed by Vite Vite North (now closed), then Carranballac. He worked at Ballarat North Tech from 1960 to 1967, at Linton Primary School from 1969 to 1971, then Wendouree Primary in 1972. Reynolds was involved in a Church of England youth group while in Ballarat, where he also committed offences.
After moving to the north-east of Victoria, he remained a teacher for two more decades before retiring in 1992.
The claims hang around the department of education's prior knowledge of Reynolds' offending.
IN OTHER NEWS
In sentencing remarks last year, Judge Gabriele Cannon year said there had been "catastrophic" failures to act. There was also reference to an offence in 1960, when a child told his parents about Reynolds abusing himm- and they in turn had raised it directly with Reynolds.
Ms Wilson said: "If appropriate action had been taken by the Education Department at that time, all the kids we know about - and all the others that we don't know about - would have been spared."
The remarks of an Education Department psychiatrist in the early 1980s were referenced in the same document.
It's absolutely bloody stupid sending you back into the classroom because you'll just keep on doing it
- Reported remarks from psychiatrist at Education Department to Reynolds
"It's absolutely bloody stupid sending you back into the classroom because you'll just keep on doing it," he reportedly said.
The sentencing remarks also noted that Reynolds had a wife and three children, who had stood by him.
Ms Wilson said there were claims for another 20 victims in progress. "The more we know about what was going on in Ballarat when he was there, the better for those survivors," Ms Wilson said.
The legal climate in recent years has given more scope for survivors to pursue compensation claims. Changes include the removal of the statute of limitation, which previously put a time limit on claims, and a law change allowing survivors to challenge previous compensation deeds.
The payout amount was based on the impact abuse had on the victim's career and mental health.
Ms Wilson believes more "very significant sums" are likely to be awarded in the future. "It's not a one-off," she said.
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Affected by this story? There is help available.
You can phone CASA, Sebastopol on 5320 3933, or free-call the crisis care line 24 hours on 1800 806 292. Or phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380 between 9am and 5pm, or Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277.
Other support numbers include:
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
- Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467
- Mensline: 1300 789 978 or mensline.org.au
- Survivors of Suicide: 0449 913 535
- Relationships Australia: 1800 050 321
- Ballarat Community Health: 5338 4500
- headspace Ballarat (for 12-25s and parent support): 5304 4777
- QLife: 1800 184 527 (Support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people)
- Soldier On: 1300 620 380
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