Abuse Royal Commission: Ex-archbishop Frank Little ‘refused to Act’

By Tessa Akerman
The Australian
November 27, 2015

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Shocking details of former Melbourne archbishop Frank Little’s failure to deal with a gun-toting pedophile priest have emerged at the royal commission into child sex abuse.

Former Catholic Education Office chief Tom Doyle has ­revealed he went direct to the late archbishop about complaints regarding the wildly unpredictable Father Peter Searson. Little had refused to act.

The commission also heard that Little received letters from parishioners and other concerned parties complaining about Searson. In 1982, Little received a letter from a parishioner who said he had instructed his children not to be alone in Searson’s office.

He also received a letter from fellow priest Philip O’Donnell saying: “I have not the slightest doubt that Peter is psychologic­ally unsuitable to be the pastor of this parish, or any other … His utter humiliation of women has to be seen to be ­believed. He revels in reducing people to tears.”