Priest Tom Brennan Dies before Cover-Up Court Case

The Australian
October 1, 2012

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/priest-tom-brennan-dies-before-cover-up-court-case/story-e6frg6nf-1226485974755

THE first Australian priest to be charged with covering up sex abuse by another priest has died in hospital before his matter could be heard in court.

Hunter Valley priest Father Tom Brennan was too unwell to appear when his case was due for a first mention in court last week.

He died last night following a long battle with cancer, the ABC reported.

Earlier this year, the 74-year-old became the first member of the Australian Catholic clergy to be charged with failing to report sexual abuse by another priest.

Police allege he committed and covered up child sex offences near Newcastle in the 1970s and 80s.

Father Brennan was accused of failing to disclose child sex offences by a defrocked priest, committed in the late 1970s when he was school principal at St Pius X, Newcastle.

He was also charged with assaulting two boys after they reported the abuse to him.

In addition, Father Brennan faced eight counts of sexually assaulting a boy aged between eight and nine at a Waratah church in 1984 and 1985.

In total he faced 14 charges and was granted bail with strict conditions.

When the charges were laid in August, victims' rights groups described it as a milestone in Australia.

Father Brennan also served as vicar-general of the Maitland-Newcastle diocese and was working as a parish priest in the Lake Macquarie area until last year.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge said he had spoken to one of the alleged victims, who had told him about the priest's death.

He said it was difficult news for victims to process.

"It will lead to very complicated emotions for victims, which for many will take time to assess," Dr Shoebridge said.

"But we cannot allow the church to simply bury its past.

"This shows the urgency of needing to investigate these claims."