Call for Witnesses

Koffels Solicitors and Barrister are currently acting for numerous survivors of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Lismore. Koffels is issuing a call-out for witnesses further to allegations of child sexual assault perpetrated by priests and teaching Christian Brothers. Anything discussed will be absolutely CONFIDENTIAL and, if you wish, completely ANONYMOUS.

We specifically would like to speak to anyone with information on Father Patrick Casey and Brother Dominic aka Darcy O’Sullivan.

Father John Patrick Casey, a former Catholic priest of the Diocese of Lismore and police chaplain, was convicted in 2018 of sexually abusing children in the 1980s. He was charged again in 2022 for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in his rectory in  1982 at Mallanganee.

Darcy John O’Sullivan, also known as Brother Dominic, was the school principal of St Mary’s High School in Casino and St Peter Claver’s College in Riverview from the 1980s to 1996 was jailed for a number of child sex offences in 2016.

We are assisting child abuse survivors who were abused by Father Casey and Brother Dominic.

We ask the community to step forward to provide information concerning Father John Patrick Casey and/or Brother Dominic.

Anything that you may have witnessed or experienced will help these survivors receive justice.

Father John Patrick Casey – Paedophile Offender

John Patrick Casey was a priest in the Lismore diocese. An online source provides that Fr John Casey was ordained on 2 February 1974. He has ministered in a number of parishes in NSW and QLD including Townsville, Mallanganee, Camden Haven and Sawtell. In the late 1990s, he had a senior role in the Diocese of Lismore, as one of the diocese’s four Regional Vicars — he was the Regional Vicar for the diocese’s south (the Macleay Region).

As well as working in parishes, John Patrick Casey has also worked as a part-time police chaplain, with duties such as conducting funerals and other religious services for police officers.

Criminal convictions of John Casey

On 30 October 2018, Father Casey was sentenced to four years and ten months in jail on charges of sexually assaulting two teenage boys who stayed with him at the priest’s parish house in the 1980s. Casey later appealed against his conviction but on 29 July 2020, the NSW Supreme Court dismissed the appeal.

In October 2022, Father Casey was arrested for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy at Mallanganee in the 1980s. Casey’s bail has been refused. Casey will face a criminal trial at some stage in 2023 or 2024.

Darcy John O’Sullivan  aka Brother Dominic – Paedophile Offender

Darcy John O’Sullivan, otherwise known as Brother Dominic, was a Marist Brother. Darcy O’Sullivan held the following positions:

• Between 1971 and 1977 he was a teacher at Marist Brothers Hamilton within the Diocese of Maitland Newcastle
• Between 1978 and 1980 he was a teacher at St Mary’s High School in Casino within the Diocese of Lismore
• Between 1981 and 1985 he was the principal of St Mary’s High School Casino.

Criminal Convictions of Darcy John O’Sullivan

In 2016 O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to 22 counts of indecently assaulting 12 boys while he was a brother at Marist Brothers Hamilton and St Mary’s High School, for these offences he received a maximum prison sentence of six years.  In February 2019, O’Sullivan was charged with an additional five counts of indecent assault against two boys who were students at Marist Brothers Hamilton, resulting in Darcy O’Sullivan receiving a further five-year prison sentence in 2020.

If you or someone you know would like to talk to one of our historical sexual abuse specialists, for free and in confidence, about your legal options, please feel free to either complete the form below with the best way and the best time to contact you, or you can call us on 02 9283 5599.