AUSTRALIA
Daily Telegraph
EIL KEENE THE DAILY TELEGRAPH MAY 14, 2013
A LACK of resources – not an intent to protect the Catholic church – was why reports of child sex abuse by senior clergy in the Hunter were not dealt with quicker, an inquiry has heard.
The special commission of inquiry heard allegations last week that senior police aligned with the Catholic Church in Newcastle had hindered investigations into paedophile priests and Church cover-ups.
But Inspector Dave Waddell, operations commander in Lake Macquarie in 2010 when investigations were under way, said yesterday there was a less sinister explanation. “I didn’t think we were going to be able to commit the necessary resources to conduct this particular investigation,” he said.
The case was ultimately transferred to Newcastle, which Insp Waddell said had more detectives available.
He denied telling other police there was “no prospect” of criminal outcomes, due to the fact the priest at the centre of the allegations had died several years earlier.
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