Officer Admits Slow Response to Sex Abuse Claims
By Dan Cox
The former head of the police force in the New South Wales Hunter Valley has told an inquiry that investigations into child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy could have been "better managed". An inquiry has heard claims that important police documents regarding allegations of child sexual abuse in the Hunter Valley's Catholic Church sat on the desk of the region's top cop for several months. Three years ago, when Hunter Valley policeman Peter Fox says he was directed to stop investigating child sexual abuse by two priests in the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Church, Carlene York was the NSW Northern Region Commander. In giving evidence at the Special Commission of Inquiry in Newcastle, Assistant Commissioner York said while the investigation into child sexual abuse allegations by two local priests "wasn't quick", she had decided to investigate and was "waiting on more information". The inquiry heard the files sat on Assistant Commissioner York's desk for several months while she tried to determine which local area command (LAC) was best placed to investigate. She rejected claims she was not taking into account the interest of the victims. In 2010, Detective Chief Inspector Fox was the crime manager at Port Stephens, north of Newcastle, when he was allegedly told by superiors to stop investigating the priests. Assistant Commissioner York told the inquiry she did not consider the Port Stephens LAC an option because there was no information the area had any relevance to the investigation. Under cross examination by Detective Chief Inspector Fox's barrister, Mark Cohen, Assistant Commissioner York said while she agreed the strike force could have been better managed she did not agree it was abysmally managed. She told the inquiry the northern region is "lucky to have experienced detectives" but she was "aware of staff shortages" across every LAC in the region. She said she approved the establishment of Strike Force Lantle because it was an "important investigation and should have had resources allocated to it". The inquiry has previously heard local detectives were staging industrial action because of their stressful workload. Assistant Commissioner York told the court she forwarded the abuse allegations to Newcastle's LAC for review, saying she thought that the state's Sex Crimes Squad should be involved early on. She also told the inquiry she did not order a search of Detective Chief Inspector Fox's office while he was on leave. She said she was surprised to hear he did not hand over all files when directed to but says any search of his office was not at her request. Assistant Commissioner York added it is "not unusual" and "quite appropriate" to look for documents that are needed to answer a Ministerial request. The inquiry continues.
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