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	Anglican Priests Suspended over Criminal Allegations ABC News October 13, 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/14/2713683.htm?section=australia There is a deepening scandal for the Anglican Church, with three priests in the Newcastle area in New South Wales suspended on full pay. The police have been called in. The Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, Brian Farran, will not say whether the three are accused of sexual abuse, but he says it is serious. Dr Farran says he learned about the allegations on Thursday from a church official in charge of professional standards. He then interviewed the three priests accused of misconduct and suspended them. "The allegations suggest that they're serious and that they'll be investigated by the police and therefore I had to take the action that I did," he said. "I'm not allowed to say really anything at the moment because what we've got to do at the present time is to ensure that the police investigation is unimpeded and that we have got to protect the person who has made the complaint as much as the people who had the allegations made against them." Dr Farran is also unable to reveal too much about when and where any alleged offences took place. "The allegations relate to an historic period," he said. "It hasn't happened in the last year or so. The allegations suggest that they may have happened outside and perhaps within the church area of the Dioceses of Newcastle." The New South Wales Police investigation is in its early stages. A police spokeswoman says police will meet church officials to discuss allegations of a criminal nature. Dr Farran insists the church is upholding high professional standards. He says the complaint was acted on quickly. He has also made an apology despite the fact the allegations have not been proven. "I'm dreadfully sorry for the person who has made the complaint," he said. "I think that when a person makes a complaint, even if it was a mischievous complaint and I am not suggesting that at all, there would be something that is prompting them to do that and it is a very regretful situation all round."
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