BishopAccountability.org
	Former Catholic Priest on Trial on Sex Charges ABC December 3, 2007 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/03/2108396.htm?site=idx-tas A former Catholic priest has appeared in the Launceston Criminal Court on a charge of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person under the age of 17. Gregory Laurence Ferguson was a priest at Burnie's Marist College when the sexual abuse was alleged to have taken place in 1970. The trial began today in the Launceston Criminal Court, with Justice Ewan Crawford encouraging the jury to consider the evidence and remember that the alleged events happened more than 35 years ago. The judge said that that would affect the victim's, witnesses' and the accused's memories. One witness told the court he'd been assaulted by Father Ferguson. He said he'd been "too scared" to say no to the priest, and had "thought he would be safe" because he'd gone to Father Ferguson's room with another student. The defence argued no such assault happened. The trial continues tomorrow.
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