AUSTRALIA
Maitland Mercury
By ELLE WATSON July 4, 2013
The whistleblower cop at the centre of a Hunter sex abuse inquiry said he never believed Bishop Michael Malone’s claim that he did not intentionally forewarn a paedophile priest about a police investigation.
The Commission of Inquiry heard the former Newcastle and Maitland Bishop met with the priest James Fletcher at his Branxton presbytery in 2002 and told him there had been a formal complaint of child sexual abuse against him [Fletcher].
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox told the inquiry, Bishop Malone told him the reason for his visit was to check the welfare of Fletcher who was upset.
In a statement to the Chief Inspector, Bishop Malone said Fletcher did not know about the investigation before their meeting.
“Why would he go out there and console him about something he didn’t know?” Chief Inspector Fox asked.
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