Priest "Refused to Be Questioned" over Abuse
By Dan Cox
Documents tendered to an inquiry into child sexual abuse in the NSW Hunter Valley reveal a senior member of Australia's Catholic Church refused to be questioned over an alleged abuse cover-up. Ian Lloyd, QC, who was asked by the special commission of inquiry to assess Strike Force Lantle's brief of evidence, found "all but one of the still living" persons of interest was interviewed. Mr Lloyd's report into the strike force said a "serving member" of the Catholic clergy "exercised his legal right to refuse to be questioned by police". In a statement tendered to the inquiry at Newcastle Supreme Court earlier this week, NSW Sex Crimes Squad manager Detective Inspector Paul Jacob said Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson declined to be interviewed. Inspector Jacob said he did not regard this as "any obstruction but merely [Archbishop Wilson exercising his] legal rights". The special commission of inquiry is examining claims that abuse whistleblower Detective Inspector Peter Fox was asked to stop investigating allegations made against Father Dennis McAlinden and Father James Fletcher of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Earlier today, former Newcastle police local area commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell, denied he had ordered Inspector Fox to stop investigating the allegations. The inquiry has heard Mr Mitchell and Detective Inspector Dave Waddell had done so. When asked by counsel assisting if he directed, instructed or requested Inspector Fox to stop investigating, Mr Mitchell responded: "I never said any words to that effect". 'Appropriate and fair' Mr Lloyd told the inquiry that Strike Force Lantle, which was established in 2010 to investigate the abuse claims, "could have gone on forever". The court has heard that the strike force was set up to fail, but Mr Lloyd told the court its brief of evidence "was as good as any he had seen in any country". Mr Lloyd described the investigation's methodology as "entirely appropriate and fair", and he said it was crucial that terms of reference were kept in mind when establishing a strike force. But he also said many alleged victims had come forward, and if all their claims were investigated the strike force may not come to an end. Mr Lloyd said the length of time taken by the strike force to investigate the allegations was "not surprising or unreasonable" given their historical nature and complexity. He also told the court Detective Fox did "a fine job taking statements from traumatised witnesses". The inquiry continues late next month.
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