Psychologist Concerned for Hunter Valley Police in the Wake of Wrongful Child Abuse Cover-up Claims

By Giselle Wakatama
ABC News
June 6, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-06/psychologist-concerned-for-police-in-the-wake-of-wrongful-cover/5504610?section=nsw

Mental health concerns have been raised about Newcastle police officers wrongly accused of covering up child sex crimes by Catholic priests.

A Special Commission of Inquiry into two Hunter Valley paedophile priests Dennis McAlinden and James Fletcher was sparked by allegations by detective Chief inspector Peter Fox.

He alleged cover-ups by both police and Catholic Church officials.

The Inquiry highlighted serious failings in the church but the commission found no evidence of a police cover-up.

The inquiry also found Peter Fox was not a credible witness.

Newcastle psychologist Roger Peters has treated thousands of police, including some of the officers involved.

He says to be wrongly accused of protecting paedophiles is devastating.

"They take that as being the equivalent of being a paedophile," he said.

"Many of them were quite damaged to begin with and some have become more so as a result of this."

Doctor Peters says the false cover-up allegations have caused a massive emotional fallout.

"A couple of police couldn't even give evidence because they were so damaged.

"Those that were damaged just got simply damaged again."

He says for police to be called a paedophile protector is akin to being a perpetrator.

Doctor Peters has also treated scores of people who have suffered child abuse.