Child Sex Crime Detectives Investigate Abuse Claims at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral

By Rania Spooner
The Age
December 23, 2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/child-sex-crime-detectives-investigate-abuse-claims-at-melbournes-st-patricks-cathedral-20151222-glts4e.html

Historic child sex crime detectives are investigating allegations that teenage boys were abused at St Patrick's Cathedral in East Melbourne.

The investigation relates to alleged sexual assaults on 14-year-old boys at the cathedral in the late 1990s.

Detectives from the Sano Taskforce, which investigates historical sexual assault and child abuse, is urging anybody with information to contact them.

The allegations relate to incidents in the 1990s. Photo: Michael Clayton-Jones

They want to speak to victims or anybody with any information relating to any alleged sexual assaults at the cathedral between 1996 and 2001.

"Victoria Police is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those people who prey on children no matter how many years have passed," Sergeant Sharon Darcy said.

The appeal for information comes after Sano detectives executed search warrants on December 2 on properties believed to be linked to the church.

Properties raided included a buildings in East Melbourne, Melbourne, Maidstone and Toorak.

A police spokeswoman said the warrants related to "an active and ongoing investigation".

"Task Force Sano is currently conducting a large number of investigations into historic sexual offending," she said.

"Victoria Police will not provide a running commentary on these investigations as it would be inappropriate to do so."

Archdiocese of Melbourne spokesman Shane Healy said: "We really have no comment on it other than urging people to contact Sano Taskforce should they have any information relating to the alleged sexual assaults being investigated."

Described by the church as the "mother Church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne," St Patrick's Cathedral was officially opened on Albert Street in 1897 but the site had been used by the church since at least 1858.

It shares grounds with the headquarters of the Victorian offices of Caritas? Australia, the church's international aid wing, and the Cardinal Knox Centre.

Sano was established to investigate allegations that have emerged from the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse involving religious and non-government organisations.

It is also investigating allegations of abuse that arose from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

University of Melbourne criminology lecturer Dr Dave McDonald said the royal commission had previously raised "alarming allegations of systemic abuse of children," but these claims were particularly concerning because "they relate directly to St Patrick's Cathedral".

"In 1996 George Pell established the Melbourne Response to ostensibly offer justice to victims of abuse within the Melbourne Archdiocese," he said.

"This mechanism of redress has come under sustained scrutiny by the royal commission.

"However the fact that these allegations relate to the same period between the mid 1990s and 2001 makes them particularly alarming. They raise questions not only about the effectiveness and suitability of the Melbourne Response, but go to the heart of the archdiocese given they implicate the cathedral."

Anyone with information can call the Taskforce on 1800 110 007.

Information relating to any alleged sexual assaults, committed at St Patricks Cathedral, East Melbourne during this time period, can also be given anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submitted confidentially on-line at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au