Dad in kid mix-up gets big legal bill

The Border Mail, November 7, 2006

A MELBOURNE man who paid child support for children who turned out not to be his has now been ordered to pay “massive” legal costs to the Commonwealth.

Liam Neale Magill, 56, recently lost his bid for compensation for psychological damages he claims he suffered at the hands of the Child Support Agency.

Yesterday he was ordered to pay the agency’s legal fees.

No specific amount has been put by the Commonwealth, but Mr Magill’s partner, Cheryl King, who represented him in court, said she expected the bill to be massive.

“We’ve been running this for 18 months,” she said.

Mr Magill began paying child support for three children after he separated from his wife Meredith in 1992.

In 2000, DNA testing revealed that only one of the children was his.

In November, 2002, Mr Magill was awarded $70,000 from his ex-wife by the Victorian County Court for damages and economic loss.

However, the Victorian Court of Appeal overturned that decision.