BishopAccountability.org

Father of Victim Targeted by Church

By Emma Alberici
ABC News
July 9, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-09/father-of-victim-targeted-by-church/4810102?section=nsw

[with video]

An employee of the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese was ostracised by the clergy and lost his job of ten years because he supported his son, who was the victim of a paedophile priest.

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The New South Wales Special Commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse was today told that an employee of the Maitland Newcastle Diocese lost his job because he supported his son who was the victim of a paedophile priest. The employee known as B.I. had a senior job with the diocese for more than 10 years. His son was abused by Father James Fletcher who was convicted and died in jail in 2006. The whistleblower police officer who sparked the inquiry, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox gave evidence today that BI told him that after his son reported the abuse to police he was ostracised by senior clergy and treated unfairly by Bishop Michael Malone.

PETER FOX, DETECTIVE CHIEF INSPECTOR (voice over): He confided me very early on that. He felt the diocese would ultimately refuse to renew contract and try to terminate his employment as such, which is ultimately what occurred.

EMMA ALBERICI: DCI Fox also told the inquiry that the victim's mother had told him that Bishop Malone felt he'd been handed a poisoned chalice when he became bishop of the Maitland Newcastle diocese in 1995.

PETER FOX (voice over): He felt that he had walked into a blind and was made a scapegoat for a lot of indiscretions and bad decisions that had occurred at an earlier time.

EMMA ALBERICI: Bishop Michael Malone will give his evidence tomorrow.




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