AUSTRALIA
7 News
By Patrick Caruana, AAP
Updated March 1, 2013
Many Christian brothers refuse to accept that one of their ranks is guilty of the child sex crimes for which he was convicted, a Victorian inquiry has been told.
Members of the order also lack sympathy for sex abuse victims, Christian brother and researcher Dr Barry Coldrey told the parliamentary inquiry into sexual abuse within religious organisations.
Dr Coldrey said some brothers had not accepted that Robert Best, who was convicted over the abuse of 11 boys over a 20-year period, was a pedophile.
“Even at this moment there are many brothers who refuse to believe that Robert Best is guilty,” he told the inquiry in Melbourne on Friday.
He said some would still visit Best in prison.
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