AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By JASON GORDON July 2, 2013
THERE were tip-offs to paedophiles, accusations that senior police had deceived, even the discovery of gay porn in the presbytery of a Catholic priest.
The only thing missing in yesterday’s hearing of the Special Commission of Inquiry in Newcastle was reliable evidence that the Church had hindered, obstructed or failed to co-operate with police investigations.
It was a long day in the stand for Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, the man who accused the Catholic Church of hindering police investigations. It was equally long for counsel assisting the commission, Julia Lonergan, who spent the entire day questioning Mr Fox.
Ms Lonergan had Mr Fox under extreme fire throughout the morning session. The court had heard evidence that, in 2002, former Maitland-Newcastle Bishop Michael Malone had tipped off paedophile priest Jim Fletcher about a police investigation into claims he sexually abused a child, and that the bishop also revealed to Fletcher the name of his accuser.
Both claims were first revealed by Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy three years ago.
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