Strike Force Was a ‘sham’

By Elle Watson
Maitland Mercury
May 7, 2013

http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/1485104/strike-force-was-a-sham/?cs=171

Peter Fox believed the senior police who ordered him to cease investigations into paedophilia within the Catholic Church were deliberately sabotaging the case.

Detective Chief Inspector Fox resumed his evidence for the second day of the Commission of Inquiry into the alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

Inspector Fox told the inquiry the December 2010 meeting with senior police, during which he was ordered to cease investigating any matters relating to sexual abuse by the clergy, was “sinister”.

“I thought the direction was motivated by other matters that weren’t honest and were corrupt,” Inspector Fox said.

When he protested, Inspector Fox was told he would have no role or function in the new investigation dubbed Strike Force Lantle.

Inspector Fox said he told police: “These people [victims] have been through hell, they’ve trusted me and I promised I’d follow through.

“I’ve sat with one woman for 28 hours getting her statement; you can’t treat her like garbage or a number.”

He said Superintendent Max Mitchell, who is yet to give evidence, conceded that Inspector Fox should at least be allowed to let the witness know he had been ordered off the case.

Inspector Fox was further ordered by Superintendent Mitchell to stop contacting Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy, who he describes as the ­genesis of his investigations.

Inspector Fox admitted to breaching the order hours later when he emailed Ms McCarthy telling her his exclusion from the matter confirmed his suspicions ­senior police were attempting to sabotage the investigation.

He said Strike Force Lantle was a “sham” and police were disinterested.

“They had no intention to thoroughly investigate this matter. I believe [Strike Force Lantle] was set up to fail.”

Afraid that he would be ordered off the case, Inspector Fox conceded that he lied to police about documents he “forgot” to hand over at the meeting.

“I was reluctant about handing them over. I believe they may not have been acted upon in the right way.”

Special Commissioner Margaret Cunneen is investigating the circumstances in which Inspector Fox was asked to stop probing certain matters.

The inquiry is concentrating on two priests – serial sex offender Father Denis McAlinden and convicted paedophile Father James Fletcher, both now dead.