Bishop Malone Met with Accused Priest: Peter Fox

By Elle Watson
Maitland Mercury
July 4, 2013

http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/1616889/bishop-malone-met-with-accused-priest-peter-fox/?cs=171

The whistleblower cop at the centre of a Hunter sex abuse inquiry said he never believed Bishop Michael Malone's claim that he did not intentionally forewarn a paedophile priest about a police investigation.

The Commission of Inquiry heard the former Newcastle and Maitland Bishop met with the priest James Fletcher at his Branxton presbytery in 2002 and told him there had been a formal complaint of child sexual abuse against him [Fletcher].

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox told the inquiry, Bishop Malone told him the reason for his visit was to check the welfare of Fletcher who was upset.

In a statement to the Chief Inspector, Bishop Malone said Fletcher did not know about the investigation before their meeting.

"Why would he go out there and console him about something he didn't know?" Chief Inspector Fox asked.

In previous evidence Chief Inspector Fox said the tip off to Fletcher lead to the destruction of important evidence and "robbed" investigators of the element of surprise.

Earlier this morning, several clergy letters were tendered to the inquiry including a handwritten letter from another paedophile priest, Denis McAlinden, to Father Brian Lucas in 1996.

In the letter McAlinden denied abusing a young girl who would often sit on his knee.

Chief Inspector Fox said all of the documents, including a 1960 letter from McAlinden to one of his victims, would have "no doubt" helped his 2003 investigation.