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  Father Hugh Edward Murray Involved in a Matter in a Sydney Court

Broken Rites
February 24, 2010

http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/nletter/page204-hugh-murray.html

An Australian Catholic priest, Father Hugh Edward Murray, who is facing indecent-assault charges, has applied to have his alleged victims cross-examined during the preliminary stage of a court hearing — as well as in a subsequent trial. However, on 17 February 2010, a Sydney magistrate ruled that a cross-examination (that is, the detailed questioning of witnessses) would be allowed at only one stage — at a trial.

Father Hugh Murray, 79, from Marsfield in Sydney's north, is currently listed for mention-days at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court. These are preliminary proceedings, conducted by a magistrate, who eventually must determine whether or not the magistrate's court should commit Murray to face trial before a judge in a higher court.

How the court case began

Father Hugh Murray CM is a member of the Vincentian Fathers religious order, which is also called the Congregation of the Mission.

Prosecution documents, which were submitted to the court on 25 June 2009, indicated that Father Murray has been charged with indecently assaulting three young males.

1. Police alleged that one victim was indecently assaulted in 1966-67 in the Sydney suburb of Ryde.

2. Police alleged that a second victim was indecently assaulted three times between June 1967 and January 1973 in Sydney.

3. The most recent charge relates to the alleged indecent assault of a male who was attending St Stanislaus College (a boarding school, conducted by the Vincentian Fathers) in Bathurst, New South Wales, in 1978.

Father Murray did not attend the June 2009 hearing because (according to his defence lawyer) he has "health problems". The lawyer handed up a medical certificate from Father Murray's local medical practitioner.

February 2010 hearing

The case came up again for a mention at the same court on 17 February 2010, and Father Murray attended this hearing.

Murray's solicitor indicated to the court that he wished to subject the three victims (plus several other witnesses) to a cross-examination in the magistrate's court during the preliminary proceedings. The lawyer told the court he wished to clarify some of the dates and places of the witnesses' statements to police.

However, Magistrate Geoff Bradd said there needed to be "special reasons" for a cross-examination to occur in a magistrate's committal hearing (that is, preceding a trial).

"I am not satisfied that there is reason enough for this to occur," the magistrate said.

He adjourned the case for mention in court at an early date, when there will be a further indication about how the case will proceed.

Father Murray is on bail, a condition of which is that he must not contact his alleged victims.

Father Murray was charged by detectives from Bathurst.

Investigations are continuing.

 
 

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