Cop Unaware of Priest Child Abuse

Big Pond News
July 10, 2013

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National/2013/07/10/Cop_unaware_of_priest_child_abuse_886813.html


A policewoman investigating allegations that a Hunter Valley Catholic priest sexually abused a little girl was not told of his previous offending, a special NSW commission of inquiry has heard.

Detective senior constable Jacqueline Flipo also admitted on Wednesday she did not make inquiries of several government bodies, including Centrelink, Medicare and the taxation office, to help track down Fr Denis McAlinden.

The inquiry, before commissioner Margaret Cunneen in Newcastle Supreme Court, is examining how police and church leaders handled sexual abuse allegations against McAlinden and another priest, James Fletcher.

Constable Flipo said that for about three years, from July 2001, she investigated historic allegations that Fr McAlinden abused a girl when she was aged eight to 11.

In answer to questions from a barrister assisting the commission, Julia Lonergan, constable Flipo said her inquiries did not reveal that Fr McAlinden had previously been charged with sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl in 1953.

This charge resulted in a court hearing that did not record a conviction, Ms Lonergan said.

Constable Flipo said a Maitland/Newcastle Catholic church diocese official told her in 2001 that McAlinden was overseas, had been so for some time, perhaps 10 years, and the only contact the church had was a relative's address in London, England.

He was believed to have been travelling in Ireland at the time.

Constable Flipo said she found church officials to be co-operative and forthcoming and had no reason to think they were withholding any information.

Also appearing before the inquiry on Wednesday, Detective constable Don Brown - who helped detective chief inspector Peter Fox to arrest and charge Fr Fletcher in 2003 - agreed that church officials were co-operative.

He disagreed with a proposition by Det Insp Fox that there appeared to have been collusion between five priests who gave statements to police regarding Fr Fletcher.

The commission continues on Wednesday afternoon with bishop Michael Malone expected to give evidence.