AUSTRALIA
Blayney Chronicle
By Rachel Browne Aug. 25, 2014
It was a random phone call in 2006 that set Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy on a path which ultimately exposed the extent of horrific crimes by paedophile priests and led to the royal commission into child sexual abuse.
The award-winning reporter told Australian Story of the day she was at her desk when she received a call from a reader wanting to know why no media had reported that a priest named John Denham had been convicted of child sex offences a number of years before.
So she rang Denham, who was immediately defensive.
“I’ve spoken to a few paedophile priests,” she said. “They’re a breed. Massive egos. At first he denied that he had been convicted. Then his next line was, ‘I hope you have a good lawyer.'”
Last week, Denham gave evidence at his sentencing hearing before a Sydney court, after pleading guilty to 25 charges relating to offences against 20 victims.
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