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Anglican Bishop Accused of Fresh Cover-Up By Jeremy Roberts NEWS.com.au November 26, 2007 http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22819924-421,00.html THE embattled Anglican Bishop of the Murray, Ross Davies, faces further claims of a cover-up of sexual misconduct allegations against a senior priest, deepening divisions in the troubled South Australian diocese. The diocese was shaken in July by revelations that Bishop Davies failed to act against Archdeacon Peter Coote in 2005, despite a church investigation finding "credible" complaints from three female parishioners alleging they had been subjected to unwanted sexual advances from Archdeacon Coote. Archdeacon Coote was suspended and the revelations sparked two separate reviews into the handling of the complaints by Bishop Davies and the diocese. The reviews were expected to report within weeks. But a spokesman for the diocese, Archdeacon Brian Ashworth, has confirmed that any action in the wake of the reviews will be decided by the diocesan council, of which Bishop Davies is a member. The admission sparked allegations of a "whitewash" from Anglican parishioners. Lee Lyons, a spokeswoman for the 50-member rebel Anglican group Voice of the Laity, said the process was susceptible to a "further cover-up" of the original complaints. One of the three complainants said she was "absolutely disappointed" by the in-house process. "I don't have confidence that it will be judged in a fair manner," she said. She told a church investigator in 2004 that Archdeacon Coote pushed her on to a bed and fell on top of her and tried to kiss her. She rejected the advance and cut off contact with the priest. "There's no real words to describe how disappointed I am," she said. Anglical Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Brisbane, Phillip Aspinall, called for "transparency" from Bishop Davies in dealing with the reviews. Archdeacon Coote was suspended in July following The Australian's reporting of the allegations. The three former parishioners alleged that Archdeacon Coote had made inappropriate sexual advances, which in one case sparked a suicide attempt. A lengthy church investigation completed in 2005 found the complaints were "credible", but Bishop Davies took no action against the archdeacon at the time - other than to refer him to a counsellor - because of legal advice. Archdeacon Coote remained a priest in a southern Adelaide parish until his suspension in July. Bishop Davies has been away from work on sick leave for a month and was not expected to return in the foreseeable future. Neither he nor Archdeacon Coote was available for comment yesterday. |
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