Church Fire at Doncaster East May Be Linked to Brighton, Dandenong Blazes

Herald Sun
April 3, 2015

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/church-fire-at-doncaster-east-may-be-linked-to-brighton-dandenong-blazes/story-fni0fee2-1227290704182

The St James Brighton fire, pictured, may be linked to other recent blazes including the latest in Doncaster East.

POLICE are investigating a fourth suspicious church fire in the week of Easter.

Witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from a church on Doncaster Rd in Doncaster East about 2.30pm Friday.

Fire crews raced to the scene and were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, containing the damage to a small area of the church.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Belinda Batty said the detectives had not determined the cause of the fire but were treating it as suspicious.

She said it was an Anglican church.

It comes as Catholic Church moved to increase security after three other suspicious fires in as many days at churches where paedophile priests once served.

Dandenong’s St Mary’s Catholic Church was torched on Wednesday, while fire also ripped through Brighton’s St James Church on Monday.

A small fire was also lit at St Mary’s Church in St Kilda East the same morning.

The Dandenong church was the former home of notorious paedophile priest Fr Kevin O’Donnell while the Brighton and St Kilda churches were linked to Fr Ronald Pickering.

He preyed on young boys for more than 35 years before fleeing to England in 1993.

Victoria Police spokesman Sgt Kris Hamilton said: “At this stage the fires are being investigated by the local crime investigation units. However, detectives will look at the evidence and consider the possibility they may be linked.”

Police want to speak to anyone who saw suspicious activity around any of the churches before the fires.