AUSTRALIA
Maitland Mercury
By ELLE WATSON July 18, 2013
A Hunter priest has blamed general anaesthetic for memory lapses about the events surrounding paedophilia within the Maitland Newcastle Catholic diocese.
In a tedious morning of cross-examination at the special commission of inquiry into alleged sexual abuse cover-ups by the church, Father William Burston, answered more than 40 questions by saying he did not recall or remember.
Following the morning adjournment, counsel assisting the inquiry, David Kell, asked Father Burston if he suffered memory problems.
The priest said he believed he did but had no seen a doctor about it and presumed it was the effects of 10 general anaesthetics administered to him.
Mr Kell remarked to Father Burston that his memory was precise on some aspects and not on others. The priest agreed.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.