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	Paedophile Priest Case Decision Reserved By Nikki Todd Sunshine Coast Daily March 1, 2008 http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/mar/01/aap-paedophile-priest-case-decision-reserved/ An independent Anglican Church tribunal on Saturday reserved its decision over whether to defrock a convicted paedophile priest. Robert Francis Sharwood, 62, of Brisbane, was jailed for 12 months in November 2006, after being found guilty of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy in Brisbane more than 30 years ago. Sharwood was released from jail in November last year, attracting calls by child protection advocates for him to be immediately stripped of his holy orders. While Brisbane Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall removed Sharwood's licence to practice as a priest in the diocese in 2002, the church's independent Professional Standards Board is yet to deliver its verdict on the issue. The three-member board, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Debra Mullins, on Saturday heard from Sharwood's victim during a 30-minute hearing at the Archdiocese's headquarters in Brisbane. Sharwood did not attend the hearing, but a statement from the former priest was read out to the tribunal. A spokesman for the Brisbane Archdiocese said Justice Mullins reserved her decision until a later date. The spokesman said the church could not comment on the hearing as it was an independent tribunal. Media reports this week revealed photographs of Sharwood singing in an inner-Brisbane church choir that includes children but is supervised by adult parishioners.
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