Police Act in the Alleged Rape of Archbishop John Hepworth by Catholic Priest Ian Dempsey

By Nigel Hunt
NEWS.com.au
September 13, 2012

http://www.news.com.au/national/police-act-in-the-alleged-rape-of-archbishop-john-hepworth-by-catholic-priest-ian-dempsey/story-fndo4dzn-1226474484207

Archbishop John Hepworth Source: The Advertiser

THE state's top prosecutor is considering whether there is enough evidence to charge Catholic priest Ian Dempsey with the alleged rape of Archbishop John Hepworth.

SA Senator Nick Xenophon caused a scandal last year when he named Father Dempsey in Parliament, after the Adelaide diocese of the Catholic Church had refused to suspend him.

In a major development, legal sources have told The Advertiser police now believe there is enough evidence to charge Father Dempsey with multiple counts of rape and indecent assault arising from incidents that occurred in the 1960s.

The police move to seek a legal opinion from the Director of Public Prosecutions Adam Kimber, QC, on the strength of the evidence gathered in the 10-month investigation indicates the investigation is in its final stages. The sources said Mr Kimber has asked Sexual Crimes Investigation Branch detectives to follow up on several areas. Senior police and Mr Kimber yesterday declined to comment on the status of the investigation.

Because of the nature of the alleged offences, Mr Kimber is likely to also carefully consider other factors such as the historical nature of the offending and the reliability of witnesses before making a decision to launch a prosecution.

In September last year, Archbishop Hepworth pub-licly revealed that he had allegedly been raped by Father Dempsey and two other priests one of whom is now dead over a period of 12 years from 1960, when he was in the seminary in Adelaide.

Police launched their investigation last November after Archbishop Hepworth lodged a formal complaint.

Father Dempsey was then suspended from duties at his Brighton parish.

After being named in Parliament, Father Dempsey publicly denied the allegations and in a strongly worded letter to Senator Xenophon, condemned his actions in naming him.

"You have shot the wounded ... I am innocent of these allegations," he said in the letter.

Archbishop Hepworth yesterday said he had spent " a substantial amount of time" working with police earlier this year to finalise his statement.

Vicar General of the Adelaide archdiocese Philip Marshal last night said he considered it "grossly irresponsible for a person to be identified before any decision is made by the proper authorities".