Catholic Priest and Teacher Charged with Child Sex Crimes

ABC
November 12, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-13/catholic-priest-and-teacher-charged-with-child-sex/4368448?section=nsw

[with audio]

As the Royal Commission into sexual abuse against children was being announced, New South Wales police were laying charges against a former teacher and a Catholic brother. The two men aged 58 and 59 were arrested last night and charged with a number of offences dating back 25 years. Meanwhile, the senior police officer who broke ranks to speak out against the police handling of sex abuse allegations involving the clergy says he'll now have to quit his job.

TONY EASTLEY: News that Australia is about to embark on a wide ranging Royal Commission into child abuse has made headlines around the globe.

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Its details are still to be worked out but it could run for years. It will have no shortage of material to deal with.

Even as it was being announced, New South Wales police were laying charges against a former teacher and a Catholic brother.

The two men, aged 58 and 59, were arrested last night and charged with a number of offences dating back 25 years.

Meanwhile, the senior police officer who broke ranks to speak out against the police handling of sex abuse allegations involving the clergy says he'll now have to quit his job.

Lindy Kerin reports.

LINDY KERIN: Detective inspector Peter Fox says the Prime Minister's announcement of a royal commission is great news.

PETER FOX: Yeah, well of course I'm elated as well. And I was actually talking to a radio station yesterday when the news came through and my wife didn't know what to do, she burst into tears and she actually rang the family of one victim. And soon as I hung up, the first thing I did is rang another victim that I've been in contact over the years and... yeah, there were plenty of tears, let me tell you.

LINDY KERIN: It's been less than a week since the senior police officer went public about sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. He says he's pleased the royal commission will go wider than the Catholic Church.

PETER FOX: There's so many other things that are wrong within other religious institutions and groups within this country.

You know, I have made the comment - I am aware, a colleague actually rang me only recently about his concern about the mishandling of matters concerning the Anglican Church.

Yep, broad ranging. Do I regret that? Not at all because that just means there's so many more kids out there and families that it'll be helping.

LINDY KERIN: But breaking ranks has taken its toll. Peter Fox says while he's been inundated with messages of support by some, he's been ostracised by what he calls 'a small seedy element' of the police force.

PETER FOX: At the end of the day, Lindy, I'm a big boy and I was expecting all that to happen and none of it shocked me. You know, ask anybody else in the police force that's ever spoken out.

I'm not a kid that walked out of the academy yesterday. I've got 35 years so I walked into this with my eyes wide open and I knew what the ramifications would be and it didn't shock me.

LINDY KERIN: Do you have a future with the police force?

PETER FOX: Sadly no.

You know, and as I said I made that decision some time ago when I went on sick report.

I have loved the police force so much. I have still got family members in the police force and I regret that my disengagement from them will probably come a little bit earlier than what I was hoping. But you know, look at what we've got and if me saying that has caused this royal commission - or partly towards it - it's been worth that sacrifice.

LINDY KERIN: The Federal Government says it wants to have the terms of reference for the royal commission finalised by the end of the year.

But Father Frank Brennan from the Australian Catholic University told Lateline he's concerned the inquiry won't be specific enough.

FRANK BRENNAN: I think a commission of the breadth that the Prime Minister has announced, if it was to be anything more than broad brush, but if it were to have the particularity that we were looking for with state inquiries, I think it will take at least five years.

LINDY KERIN: As the Prime Minister made the announcement in Canberra, the sex crimes unit within the New South Wales police force was making its move on two men for alleged crimes committed against children in the late 80s and 90s.

The teacher and Catholic Brother have been charged in relation to assaults against two 13-year-old boys and an eight-year-old girl in 1997 and 1985.

The alleged offences occurred on the school grounds of a Catholic college in Blacktown and at a Catholic primary school at Lalor Park, both in Sydney's West.

The teacher has been released and will appear at the Blacktown Local Court next month. The Catholic brother, who now lives on the Central Coast, was refused bail and will appear at the Wyong court today.

TONY EASTLEY: Lindy Kerin reporting.