AUSTRALIA
The Mercury
12nov05
A FORMER Tasmanian priest has failed in a bid to stop child-sex charges against him from proceeding.
Father Gregory Laurence Ferguson, 68, had applied to the Supreme Court in Hobart for a permanent stay on the charges, which related to alleged events more than 30 years ago.
Justice Ewan Crawford dismissed the application yesterday but stayed one charge of indecent assault.
Father Ferguson now faces four charges of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person under the age of 17 and one count of indecent assault.
Justice Crawford said it was not appropriate to publish his reasons for refusing the application.