CathNews
February 3, 2009
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=11489
A dispute between an abuse victim and the Maitland-Newcastle diocese over the distribution of the estate of convicted pedophile, Fr James Fletcher, has been settled.
The victim was repeatedly abused by Fr James Fletcher after becoming an altar boy in his parish in the 1980s, when he was 11 years old, the ABC reports.
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It took him until 2002 to contact police, who tracked down several other men who claimed they had also been abused.
In 2004, Fletcher was found guilty of nine child sex offences and jailed for a maximum of 10 years, but he died in 2006.
The ABC says it was told the executor of his will handed his estate over to the Church soon after but the victim was told there was no money when he sought damages.
Angered by the claim, he took legal action against the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Diocese.
He has already received a substantial payment from the diocese, which has now also agreed to release funds from Fletcher's estate as additional compensation.
All parties have agreed to the terms of the undisclosed settlement and the civil suit has been withdrawn.
Toowoomba Catholic Education denies abuse cover-up
Elsewhere, Toowoomba Catholic Education director John Borserio has denied a primary school under his control covered up the repeated sexual molestation and rape of students by a teacher, the Toowoomba Chronicle reports.
A report in The Weekend Australian alleged a nine year old victim told the school's principal in September 2007, that she had been molested by the man who was its child protection officer.
She claimed the teacher started to touch her again a week after she reported the abuse, according to police sources quoted by the newspaper.
Mr Borserio confirmed a meeting between the girl, her parents and the principal took place.
But he denied the teacher was protected until he was arrested on November 14 last year and charged with 12 counts of rape and 34 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12.
"Under student protection legislation, we can't discuss matters while the court proceedings are continuing," he said.
At a hearing last Wednesday, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard the teacher was expected to plead guilty to the charges.
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