https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/co-down-school-facing-high-court-winding-up-bid-as-victims-of-paedophile-priest-say-damages-still-not-paid/a/162803030.html
Co Down school facing High Court winding up bid as victims of paedophile priest say damages still not paid
Five men who claim a paedophile priest groomed and abused them may seek the winding up of a Co Down school if agreed damages of £1.2m are not paid out, it has emerged.
Lawyers for the group have threatened to lodge a High Court petition against St Colman's College in Newry unless their demand over the settlements is met.
The development came amid ongoing uncertainty over the Catholic Diocese of Dromore's financial capability to fund historic clerical abuse compensation cases.
A number of actions have already been temporarily suspended under a moratorium on outstanding lawsuits.
The Diocese is seeking legal clarification on whether parish property can be sold to help meet any liabilities to victims.
It has been sued in a series of cases, many of them centred on the activities of paedophile priest Malachy Finegan.
Finegan, who died in 2002, allegedly groomed and sexually abused boys while he taught and worked at St Colman's College in Newry.
Millions of pounds in damages have already been paid out in lawsuits mounted over failures to prevent him from targeting pupils.
In 2021 church authorities set up a redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy within the Diocese, with payments capped at £80,000.
Other steps have also been taken to liquidate or realise assets to help compensate claimants.
Last year the sale of the Bishop's House in Newry was completed, while the sale of associated land remains pending.
Ongoing proceedings before the Chancery Division of the High Court in Belfast are examining what other assets are available to trustees for any settlements in compensation claims.
In October 2025, however, five former pupils at St Colman's agreed combined total settlements of £1.2m.
The group sued the Diocese and the school's Board of Governors over alleged failures to protect them from Finegan.
Their actions, based on claims of historic sexual and physical assaults, were settled without any admission of liability.
But according to the men's legal team, William Gowdy KC and solicitor Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law, the settlements remain outstanding.
Ms McKeegan revealed that a statutory demand for payment has now been lodged as a potential first step towards seeking a winding up petition against St Colman's.
"The victims and survivors are now more than a year on and despite agreeing settlements... not one penny has been paid to them," she said.
"They are further traumatised by the delay and uncertainty which unfortunately has characterised the approach of the Diocese and the College to this series of serious and grave cases."
Further information during a review hearing today about the school's insurance has provided no comfort, the solicitor claimed.
Ms McKeegan confirmed: "Our clients have served statutory demands, and if they are not satisfied they are left with no option than to (seek to) wind up the College. This is not a mess of their making."
Co Down school facing High Court winding up bid as victims of paedophile priest say damages still not paid
Five men who claim a paedophile priest groomed and abused them may seek the winding up of a Co Down school if agreed damages of £1.2m are not paid out, it has emerged.
Lawyers for the group have threatened to lodge a High Court petition against St Colman's College in Newry unless their demand over the settlements is met.
The development came amid ongoing uncertainty over the Catholic Diocese of Dromore's financial capability to fund historic clerical abuse compensation cases.
A number of actions have already been temporarily suspended under a moratorium on outstanding lawsuits.
The Diocese is seeking legal clarification on whether parish property can be sold to help meet any liabilities to victims.
It has been sued in a series of cases, many of them centred on the activities of paedophile priest Malachy Finegan.
Finegan, who died in 2002, allegedly groomed and sexually abused boys while he taught and worked at St Colman's College in Newry.
Millions of pounds in damages have already been paid out in lawsuits mounted over failures to prevent him from targeting pupils.
In 2021 church authorities set up a redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy within the Diocese, with payments capped at £80,000.
Other steps have also been taken to liquidate or realise assets to help compensate claimants.
Last year the sale of the Bishop's House in Newry was completed, while the sale of associated land remains pending.
Ongoing proceedings before the Chancery Division of the High Court in Belfast are examining what other assets are available to trustees for any settlements in compensation claims.
In October 2025, however, five former pupils at St Colman's agreed combined total settlements of £1.2m.
The group sued the Diocese and the school's Board of Governors over alleged failures to protect them from Finegan.
Their actions, based on claims of historic sexual and physical assaults, were settled without any admission of liability.
But according to the men's legal team, William Gowdy KC and solicitor Claire McKeegan of Phoenix Law, the settlements remain outstanding.
Ms McKeegan revealed that a statutory demand for payment has now been lodged as a potential first step towards seeking a winding up petition against St Colman's.
"The victims and survivors are now more than a year on and despite agreeing settlements... not one penny has been paid to them," she said.
"They are further traumatised by the delay and uncertainty which unfortunately has characterised the approach of the Diocese and the College to this series of serious and grave cases."
Further information during a review hearing today about the school's insurance has provided no comfort, the solicitor claimed.
Ms McKeegan confirmed: "Our clients have served statutory demands, and if they are not satisfied they are left with no option than to (seek to) wind up the College. This is not a mess of their making."