Paedophile Priest Destroyed Porn after Bishop’s Tip-off

By Elle Watson
Maitland Mercury
July 3, 2013

http://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/1612400/paedophile-priest-destroyed-porn-after-bishops-tip-off/?cs=171

Paedophile priest James Fletcher destroyed a collection of homosexual pornography hidden inside his Lochinvar presbytery when he was under police investigation for the repeated sexual abuse of a young boy.

The church member who helped Fletcher move documents, that included the pornographic magazines and videos, tipped off Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, who was leading the Maitland investigation in 2003.

Chief Inspector Fox told the special commission of inquiry the information “gave weight” to the investigation and linked Fletcher’s “interest in this sort of activity” to the “most ugly” homosexual abuse suffered by the child.

The detective said he did not believe another member of the church who claimed ownership of the material after Fletcher denied it was his.

The inquiry, which is examining whether the church hindered police investigations into sexual abuse, heard that former Maitland-Newcastle Diocese Bishop Michael Malone warned Fletcher that police were investigating a complaint of sexual abuse made against him.

Chief Inspector Fox said Bishop Malone robbed investigators of the “element of surprise” and gave Fletcher the opportunity to “sort out his story” and destroy potential evidence before police got to him.

He told the inquiry the victim’s mother contacted him and was distraught after hearing that Bishop Malone had told the priest about the investigation.

“There was no need for him to have told Fletcher about the investigation,” Chief Inspector Fox said.

“I was far from satisfied with what he [Bishop Michael Malone] had told me; I was still contemplating whether he had overstepped the mark and committed a criminal offence.”

The inquiry heard Bishop Malone was “very co-operative” during Chief Inspector Fox’s investigation but was reluctant to remove Fletcher from the Branxton and Lochinvar parish where he had regular contact with children.

“He listened to what I said ... And we had a bit of a to-and-fro ... I pointed out he has a duty to of care to his parishioners and the children within his parish,” Chief Inspector Fox said.

He said he believed Bishop Malone’s actions were sinister and considered charging him with hindrance, but did not proceed based on advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions.

The investigation resulted in 60 charges against Fletcher that were downgraded to nine. A jury found him guilty of each offence in 2005.

Chief Inspector Fox said Bishop Malone’s interference did not affect the successful prosecution but the pornographic material that was destroyed would have been “handy” in providing a brief.

Earlier in the day Chief Inspector Fox faced intense examination by senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Julia Lonergan SC, who questioned him over conflicting evidence he had given in the private and public hearings.

Chief Inspector Fox said he did not deliberately mislead the inquiry, but may have been confused about the dates.