AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By JOANNE McCARTHY
Nov. 3, 2012
Minister for Police and the Hunter Mike Gallacher has provided the first formal confirmation that police have investigated three senior Catholic clergy for concealing the child sex crimes of a Hunter priest.
Newcastle Police Strike Force Lantle’s investigations into the church’s handling of priest Denis McAlinden ‘‘have been exhaustive’’, Mr Gallacher said in a letter to Greens MP David Shoebridge in late October.
‘‘As you may be aware, the NSW Police Force has been actively investigating allegations that sexual assaults committed by a former Catholic priest, in the Hunter Region, were concealed by three senior members of the Catholic church,’’ he said.
‘‘I am advised that Strike Force Lantle is preparing a brief of evidence to submit to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions for his review and consideration as to whether charges should be laid.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.