Anglican Church abuse: Paedophile victim's suicide amplifies call for action against Philip Newell

By Rhiannon Shine
ABC News
August 16, 2017

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-16/suicide-renews-anger-over-paedophile-priest-louis-daniels/8814224

Anglican Archbishop Richard Condie says Philip Newell has been "unwell" and not able to provide answers.

Convicted paedophile Louis Daniels appeared before the royal commission in 2016.

Abuse survivor Steve Fisher said the "devils that existed" within his friend became too much.

Retired Bishop Philip Newell is unwell and unable to answer questions, the church said.

A Tasmanian survivor of clergy abuse is demanding answers after his friend, a fellow victim, suicided before disciplinary action was taken against a senior Anglican Church figure.Beyond Abuse spokesman and survivor Steve Fisher said his friend, a victim of convicted paedophile priest Louis Daniels, took his own life last week.

Mr Fisher said his friend's death increased frustration over the slow progress of an internal review into findings involving retired Tasmanian bishop Philip Newell.

Earlier this year the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released a report that referred to evidence Newell was made aware in 1987 that now-convicted paedophile Daniels had sexually abused three boys.

Bishop Newell allowed Daniels to stay in the church and subsequently promoted him to a high-ranking position on the basis he amended his life.

The report found: "In view of the fact that Bishop Newell was aware that three separate boys had complained, it is difficult to understand how he could have been assured that the conduct would not be repeated."

After its release, Anglican Archbishop of Tasmania Richard Condie announced an internal church investigation to review the findings of the royal commission and determine whether Bishop Newell should face disciplinary action.

Six months on and no action has been taken against Bishop Newell, who is "unwell" and "unable to answer questions", the church has said.

Mr Fisher claimed his friend's abuse happened after Bishop Newell was made aware Daniels had abused the three boys and failed to act.

"This particular gentleman would not have been abused and therefore not suicided," he said.

"My friend was one of the most gentle, smart, intelligent people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in my entire life. He is a real loss to the world."

"He was a beautiful man, but unfortunately the devils that existed within him ended up becoming too much.

"This is the second victim of Daniels that we know of that has taken their own life."

Mr Fisher said his friend wanted to see Bishop Newell disciplined.

"My friend was waiting for that disciplinary action to be taken and for that to have happened in a timely fashion I would say, in my opinion, it may have changed his decision to suicide," he said.

Mr Fisher said he "and other victims are just in shock" over the lack of action.

Archbishop Condie said he understood frustration around the lack of progress.

"It is a frustration of our own that it has taken as long as it has," he said.

"We're in a process to allow Bishop Newell to respond to the issues that are being put before him. He has been unwell and has not been able to answer the questions to date.

"We are committed to pursuing the matter with him through our church tribunal.

"It is important that we follow natural justice for Bishop Newell and to allow him the opportunity to respond."

The four possible sentences Bishop Newell would face when brought before the church tribunal are deposition from holy orders, prohibition from functioning, removal from office, and a rebuke.