AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
BY JOANNE MCCARTHY
24 Apr, 2012
A CATHOLIC priest defending lurid child sex allegations has accused his alleged victims of fabricating claims against him to obtain compensation from the Church.
The priest, who cannot be identified, says at least one of four men who made statements to police about alleged offences against them in the 1980s and 1990s made up claims.
The priest alleged known Catholic paedophile priests could have sexually assaulted the two men.
But a Sydney District Court jury heard yesterday it would have been easier for the men to obtain compensation if they had made allegations against the known paedophile priests.
‘‘If it was his motive to get money, why wouldn’t he [the alleged victim] just say [the name of a known paedophile priest]?’’ a barrister for the Crown said during summing up at the end of the five-week trial.
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