Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson charged with concealing child sex abuse

AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

By JOANNE McCARTHY March 17, 2015

FORMER Hunter priest and Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson has become the most senior Catholic clergyman in the world to be charged with concealing the alleged child sex offences of another priest.

Hunter police have today charged the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference vice president with failing to report child sex allegations against the late Hunter priest Jim Fletcher.

The charge relates to when both men worked in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese in the 1970s.

Archbishop Wilson is expected to strongly defend the charge.

The Adelaide Archbishop is one of a handful of Catholic clergymen in the world to be charged with concealing or failing to report alleged offences by another clergyman.

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