AUSTRALIA
ABC
The family of an altar boy who was sexually assaulted by a priest in the Maitland district has thanked a Hunter Valley detective for his diligence and compassion in pursuing the case.
Fr James Fletcher repeatedly abused one of his altar boys while a parish priest in the area between 1989 and 1991.
He was yesterday sentenced to a maximum 10 years in jail, with a non-parole period of seven and-a-half years.
The victim's mother said that for her family the sentence was "lifelong" and no amount of time in prison could restore the joy in faith that they had lost.
She thanked Detective Sergeant Peter Fox for his investigation and said she hoped her son's actions would make it easier for other victims to speak out.
Posted by kshaw at April 12, 2005 08:52 AM