Senior Catholic Church official singled out by Commission of Inquiry referred to NSW Director of Public Prosecutions

By Giselle Wakatama
ABC News
June 3, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-03/senior-catholic-church-official-referred-to-nsw-dpp/5497748

A senior Catholic church official singled out by a New South Wales Commission of Inquiry has had his case referred to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The Special Commission of Inquiry looked at the Catholic Church and police in relation to their handling of the cases of Hunter Valley paedophile priests Dennis McAlinden and James Fletcher, who are now dead.

The Commission focused on cover-ups and the concealment of matters, and one confidential volume contains findings that may lead to criminal charges being laid.

In releasing her findings last week, Commissioner Margaret Cunneen SC recommended the case of at least one unnamed senior Catholic Church official be referred to the DPP.

Attorney General Brad Hazzard says that has already been done.

"I understand that the Special Commission has been in touch with the DPP," he said.

"The DPP will now be in the normal course be assessing those issues as to whether or not their should be any particular prosecution."

Father William Burston and Monsignor Allan Hart have been stood down from senior advisory roles in the wake of the inquiry.

But Clergy Abuse Network co-founder Bob O'Toole says the action does not go far enough.

"I think if the diocese is to have any credibility then the clergy should be stood aside," he said.

"They're both getting near the end of the working careers and I think they should either retire or resign."

Maitland-Newcastle Bishop Bill Wright today issued another apology to victims.

The Special Commission of Inquiry, which released its findings on Friday, found no evidence to show that senior police ever tried to ensure child abuse offences were not properly investigated.

The inquiry found whistleblower Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox was not a credible witness and that it was appropriate for senior police to instruct Chief Inspector Fox to cease his own investigations.

The report also found that senior church officials did have information relating to child sexual abuse in the area that would have assisted a police investigation.

It named Bishop Leo Clarke, who was head of the diocese for 20 years.

It says his conduct in failing to tell authorities about one priest was "inexcusable" and that he was motivated by a fear it would bring scandal on the church.