AUSTRALIA
Illawarra Mercury
SAM RIGNEY
ADELAIDE Archbishop Philip Wilson says he doesn’t remember a conversation at the heart of his landmark hearing into allegations he concealed sexual assault allegations against another priest and doubts it ever took place because he wouldn’t have forgotten such “graphic” claims.
After his legal team on Wednesday failed for the fourth time to have the case against him thrown out, the Archbishop took the stand in Newcastle Local Court to give evidence for the first time since he became the most senior Catholic official in the world to be charged with concealing child sexual abuse.
Under questioning from his barrister, Stephen Odgers, SC, Archbishop Wilson unequivocally denied having any memory of a conversation in 1976 with Peter Creigh about Father James Fletcher subjecting Mr Creigh to acts of punishment and sexual abuse five years earlier.
When asked if he was able to say whether such a conversation took place, Archbishop Wilson said he thought it was doubtful.
“I think it is unlikely because the nature of the evidence was so graphic,” he told Magistrate Robert Stone.
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