Abuse inquirer paid principal out of own pocket

The Melbourne Catholic Church's leading investigator into sexual abuse paid $90,000 out of his own pocket to the former principal of a Catholic school whose career was ruined over his stand against a paedophile priest, reports The Age.

Peter O'Callaghan, QC, has agreed that he made the payments over several years, saying he did so out of compassion for the principal, who had suffered a mental breakdown.

The school involved, Holy Family in Doveton, had as parish priest or assistant priest six sexual abusers.

Mr O'Callaghan, the independent commissioner who examines allegations of abuse made under the Melbourne Archdiocese's Melbourne Response, said it was the only time he had made such payments, despite having dealt with more than 330 abuse victims.

''It was a one-off. I never did it for anyone else. It was paid for no other reason than to give them [the principal and his wife] assistance,'' Mr O'Callaghan said.

But the former principal, Graeme Sleeman - who has broken his silence about events at Doveton for the first time in 25 years - said that while he was grateful for the payments, he was dissatisfied with the process.

A Melbourne Archdiocese spokesman said that until The Age asked about the personal payments, the archdiocese had been totally unaware of them.

Mr O'Callaghan said they had been outside the Melbourne Response terms of reference.

''What I did was in response to their difficulties. It was bona fide and generous assistance.''