• By a Broken Rites researcher, article updated 4 June 2019

Christian Brother John Laidlaw has had a lifelong career, teaching in Catholic schools around Australia, especially in Melbourne. In 2019, now in retirement, he is facing court in Melbourne charged with having committed sexual offences, several decades ago, against some of his Victorian students. Brother Laidlaw has also taught in Adelaide and Perth but this court case is confined to Victorian complaints.

The matter has been investigated by Victoria Police detectives from the Sano Taskforce (in Spencer Street, Docklands, Melbourne).

The charges were filed at the Melbourne Magistrates Court in late 2019. After a preliminary hearing, the magistrate referred the case on to a higher court, the Melbourne County Court, where the case would be handled by a judge.

The case had another procedure in April 2019 and the main process is scheduled to be held at the Melbourne County Court in mid-2019.

The case involves multiple ex-students, from Christian Brothers schools in Melbourne and Warrnambool. The charges include some from the 1960s. The alleged victims are now mature-age adults.

Meanwhile, the detectives are continuing their inquiries.

Court documents give the defendant's birth-name as John Sutherland Laidlaw.

Some background

According to Broken Rites research, Brother John Laidlaw was originally from Adelaide. He has taught at more than a dozen Christian Brothers secondary schools in Perth, Devonport (in northern Tasmania), Adelaide, Warrnambool (in south-western Victoria) and Melbourne.

His Melbourne schools included Parade College and CBC St Kilda (this is not a complete list).

As well as teaching the usual subjects, he was also involved in sports coaching and choir work.

After retiring from teaching, Brother John Laidlaw resided in Adelaide, working in a hospital facility assisting people with disabilities.

Brother John Laidlaw was one of eight Christian Brothers who were honoured at a jubilee celebration in Melbourne because they had spent 50 or 60 years working in the Brothers in Victoria.