Three Priests Defrocked on Sex Claims

SBS
September 10, 2012

www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1691159/Three-priests-defrocked-on-sex-claims


Several Anglican clergy in Newcastle are under investigation over child sexual allegations.

Three Anglican priests have been defrocked and several clergy are under investigation over allegations of "serious sexual misconduct" in the Newcastle diocese.

Newcastle Bishop Brian Farran says the Anglican Professional Standards Board (PSB) has considered the conduct of four priests and one lay person.

As a result of the board's recommendations, Bishop Farran has removed retired dean Andrew Duncan and reverends Bruce Hoare and Graeme Lawrence from holy orders.

Cardiff Rector Graeme Sturt received an order banning him from exercising any ministry for five years, and school teacher Greg Goyette has been banned from holding any office with the church.

"The Professional Standards Board in open hearings considered some very disturbing material and determined that some of the respondents engaged in serious sexual misconduct, including misconduct when the complainant was a child," Bishop Farran said in a statement on Monday.

"The respondents breached pastoral responsibility to a person or people in their care.

"The board determined that each of them failed to report the misconduct when they were legally obliged to do so ... none of the respondents have shown remorse."

The priests have denied all the allegations previously, reports the ABC.

Mr Lawrence and Mr Sturt in April lost an attempt in the NSW Supreme Court to overturn PSB recommendations, made in 2010, to strip them of their holy orders.

That recommendation was made in relation to allegations of sexual abuse against a teenage boy.

The board found proven certain allegations, including that of an incident with a teenage boy, 'M', in a motel room during an Anglican seminar at Narrandera, in the state's south, in 1984.

Mr Sturt was found to have observed Mr Lawrence kiss the teenager and have sexual contact with him, according to documents put before the court.

The board also found that if Mr Sturt had intervened "it is likely that there would not have been a continuation of sexual abuse of (M) as an adult by (Mr) Lawrence".

Police previously investigated the allegations, which the priests deny, but have never laid criminal charges.

It is understood the Anglican Church in Newcastle referred the allegations back to police within the past few days.

A State Crime Command spokesman confirmed detectives were now examining abuse claims relating to Newcastle clergy.

"NSW police are investigating allegations of child sex abuse by a number of Anglican clergy in Newcastle after receiving new information," he told AAP.

A brief is due to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions within months, he added.