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Priest Accused of Sexually Abusing Six Children Will Be Extradited to the UK to Face Charges

Daily Mail
November 8, 2019

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7663137/Priest-accused-sexually-abusing-six-children-extradited-UK-face-charges.html

A retired Sydney priest accused of sexually abusing six children in the United Kingdom in the 1970s has lost a legal bid against extradition.

Denis Alexander, 83, was arrested in Australia in January 2017 after the UK requested his extradition over allegations he'd physically and sexually abused children at a Catholic boarding school in Scotland between 1970 and 1976.

The children were aged between 11 and 15 at the time.

Denis Alexander, 83, was arrested in Australia in January 2017 after the UK requested his extradition over allegations he'd physically and sexually abused children at a Catholic boarding school in Scotland between 1970 and 1976

More than two years after his arrest, federal Attorney-General Christian Porter made a decision to surrender Alexander to the UK in March 2019.

Alexander then filed an application in the Federal Court to have the decision reviewed.

Alexander's barrister, Greg Smith SC, argued the advice given to the attorney-general paid 'insufficient attention' to the priest's age and the risk to his health if he was forced to travel to the UK.

The court was told Alexander suffers from several chronic and ongoing health problems and has been diagnosed with cognitive impairment. He has a preliminary assessment of early dementia.

Sending him overseas would reduce his life expectancy and presented a real risk of death as well as undermining his capacity to defend himself in any criminal proceedings, Mr Smith argued.

But Federal Court Justice Michael Lee dismissed the application on Thursday, finding the department's analysis of Alexander's health was transparent and had been considered by the attorney-general.

'In short, the decision reached by the attorney-general is one which in all the circumstances, a decision-maker could reasonably make,' he said.

 

 

 

 

 




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