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	Father John Haines Quits St Joseph's College after Child Sex Charges By Daniel Breen Geelong Advertiser February 22, 2008 http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/02/22/11587_news.html CHILD sex abuse allegations have forced Father John Haines to quit as chaplain at St Joseph's College. The Meredith parish priest had already tendered his resignation to Melbourne's Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart but it was yesterday revealed he had also resigned from his post at the all-boys college. St Joseph's, which has more than 1300 students, prepared a statement about Fr Haines' departure on Monday but waited until it was contacted by the Geelong Advertiser yesterday to release it. Colac police charged Fr Haines with possession of child pornography, transmitting child pornography, procuring a child for child pornography and attempting to procure a child for child pornography. Fr Haines was also charged with two counts of indecent assault with a child under 16 and one count of indecent assault. The charges came after police raided the 61-year-old's Meredith home on Friday. Police said the alleged offences occurred in the Geelong district between 2007 and 2008. St Joseph's College principal Paul Tobias said the school community was shocked by the allegations. "The St Joseph's College school community is distressed to hear of the allegations of serious personal misconduct lodged against Fr John Haines," Mr Tobias said. "Fr Haines resigned as parish priest on Friday, 15 February after the allegations first surfaced. These matters are being investigated by the police." Mr Tobias said the school would work with parents and students to overcome the shock of Fr Haines' resignation. "The college will be communicating with parents, staff and students as soon as possible to explain the circumstances of Fr Haines' resignation." Melbourne's Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart was concerned by the charges against Fr Haines but said the long-serving priest was entitled to the presumption of innocence until the legal process had taken its course. "I wish to assure parishioners and the local community of my support and concern for them at this time," Archbishop Hart said. Fr Haines led the St Joseph's Catholic parish, which takes in Meredith, Winchelsea, Anakie, Bannockburn, Elaine, Inverleigh and Lethbridge, for 12 years. He will appear at Geelong Magistrates' Court on May 29.
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