AUSTRALIA
ABC News
A New South Wales inquiry into sex abuse by Hunter region Catholic priests says calls for it to be expanded to investigate claims about the shredding of police documents are outside its terms of reference.
The ABC’s Lateline program last week revealed that internal police documents relating to a key Catholic church body set up to deal with abuse cases, were shredded.
Later reports suggested the documents were only copies but the police whistleblower who prompted the Newcastle-based inquiry, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, yesterday called for its terms of reference to be expanded to look into the claims which he said “sent shivers down his spine”.
But in a statement last night, the Special Commission of Inquiry said the request had been considered, but it was decided it was outside its terms of reference.
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