AUSTRALIA
The West Australian
LIAM CROY AND AAP The West Australian
June 30, 2014
A senior Catholic bishop has been charged with sexually abusing a child in New Norcia 45 years ago.
Max Davis, 68, is believed to be Australia’s first bishop and the most senior Church official to be charged with a child sex offence.
He is currently the Bishop of the Australian Defence Force.
Bishop Davis has been charged by WA Police with sexually abusing a student while teaching at St Benedict’s College in New Norcia in 1969 – two years before he was ordained.
He has denied the charge and will defend it.
The Catholic Church Military Ordinariate of Australia last night said that Bishop Davis would stand down while the matter was before the court.
Bishop Davis was not an ordained priest when the incident is alleged to have occurred, and he “emphatically denies” the charge.
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