Child Sex Abuse Commission of Inquiry Told Police Reluctant to Prosecute Church

By Neil Keene
Herald Sun
June 25, 2013

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/child-sex-abuse-commission-of-inquiry-told-police-reluctant-to-prosecute-church/story-fnii5s3y-1226669344997

Joanne McCarthy told the inquiry a senior policeman was pushing a truth and reconciliation commission into child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church rather than criminal prosecutions.

POLICE whistleblower Peter Fox pushed to be included in investigations into sexual abuse within the Catholic Church as a “last hurrah” before retiring from the force, a special commission of inquiry has heard this morning.

Newcastle journalist Joanne McCarthy told the inquiry that Inspector Fox gave her his wife’s private phone number and instructed her how to obliterate email trails in order to keep their correspondence secret from other police.

Ms McCarthy said it was “obvious there was some kind of internal police bad blood”.

The commission is investigating why Insp Fox was taken off the case and whether police acted appropriately in doing so.

Ms McCarthy said Insp Fox appeared to be feeling “alone and isolated”, which is why he approached her as his “sounding board”.

She denied working in cahoots with Insp Fox to conceal information from officers attached to Strike Force Lantle, which was established to investigate historical allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of two priests in the Hunter Region.

Ms McCarthy had previously told the inquiry, which resumed yesterday, that a senior police officer involved in investigations called her in 2010 to tell her a "truth and reconciliation" process might be more appropriate. 

"I thought in my head: 'As if'," she said.

Evidence expected to begin next week aims to shed light on whether the Catholic Church covered up instances of pedophilia, and if so to what extent.

Ms McCarthy, whose work prompted calls for a Royal Commission, said she had encountered various police hesitant to pursue the Catholic Church.

In her words, they were yet to "jump the hurdle", whereas Detective Chief Inspector Fox already had, and that was part of the reason why she directed alleged victims to him.

"He was pretty keen. Some of the other police weren't so keen," she said.

Chief Insp Fox had claimed in previous evidence at the commission that Strike Force Lantle set up to investigate sex abuse within the church was "a sham" and was a strike force by name only.

Former head of the strike force, Detective Sergeant Jeffrey Little, said yesterday that was "complete rubbish".

Sergeant Little said officers assigned to Strike Force Lantle had treated Insp Fox "with caution" because he was suspected of leaking information to the media.They later learned that was correct.

The inquiry continues today.