Mp Troy Grant Denies Police Held 'Catholic Mafia'

By Dan Box
The Australian
May 8, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/mp-troy-grant-denies-police-held-catholic-mafia/story-e6frg6nf-1226637508746

Troy Grant, a former police officer now local Nationals MP for Dubbo, denies claims NSW police interfered with investigations into pedophile priests in the Catholic church

A NSW MP and former police officer who successfully prosecuted a pedophile priest in the state's Hunter Valley has denied claims the force interfered with investigations into the Catholic church.

Giving evidence to the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry this morning, Troy Grant explicitly denied claims by a serving detective, Peter Fox, that he once claimed a "Catholic mafia" existed within the police.

"It's (a phrase) that obviously grabs attention. It's one that I'm sure I would remember ever saying, it's one that nobody who knows me would expect me to say," Mr Grant said.

"I have never had any reason to report any type of activity that would be perceived to be any form of Catholic mafia or any interference from the police force at any time," he said.

The claim was originally made by Detective Fox on the first day of the inquiry, who said the phrase was used during a telephone conversation between the two then-police officers over a decade ago.

Later the same day, Detective Fox qualified the allegation, suggesting Mr Grant had been talking about senior clergy, not police officers.

Mr Grant told this morning's inquiry that he did believe senior church officials in the Catholic diocese of Maitland-Newcastle had attempted to cover-up the crimes of at least one pedophile priest, Vince Ryan.

Mr Grant said he had been fully supported by his superior officers within NSW Police during his investigation of Father Ryan, who was ultimately convicted of abusing 31 victims.