Abuse Whistleblower Fox Suspected of Leaks

Sydney Morning Herald
May 14, 2013

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/abuse-whistleblower-fox-suspected-of-leaks-20130514-2jjx6.html

An experienced NSW detective was dumped from investigating child sex allegations against Catholic priests in the NSW Hunter because he was suspected of leaking confidential information to the media, an inquiry has been told.

NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Carlene York, who was the northern region commander at the time, told a special commission of inquiry on Tuesday that detective chief inspector Peter Fox was suspected of being a leaker.

She said she was informed of this by acting Newcastle local area police commander Wayne Humphrey.

Ms York said it was of the utmost importance that the integrity of police investigations be maintained and anyone with "unhealthy media links" should "definitely be excluded from investigations".

"The integrity of (investigation) briefs can be hindered beyond repair (by media leaks)," she said.

The commission, which began before Special Commissioner Margaret Cunneen in Newcastle last week, is looking at how police and Catholic church officials handled child sex abuse allegations.

It was triggered by Insp Fox's assertions that church officials covered up crimes, a "Catholic mafia" within the police assisted them, and a strike force established to investigate pedophilia by priests was set up to fail.

The inquiry has been told that a strike force known as Lantle was largely established in October 2010 to investigate allegations of Catholic clergy concealing crimes in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese.

Within two months the three officers assigned to it had taken long-term sick leave, and in April the following year Newcastle acting commander Humphrey reported to Ms York that the situation had been "abysmally managed".

Ms York told the commission, "My attention was drawn to what we were going to do about it. That's what I was more concerned about."

Earlier on Monday, she said a lack of police throughout the Hunter Valley was the main thing limiting investigation of child sex abuse allegations against Catholic priests.

Only Newcastle and Lake Macquarie police commands had the manpower to possibly do the job and both had numerous officers on sick leave.