AUSTRALIA
ABC News
[with video]
NSW Police admit shredding all the documents relating to five years involvement with a key body of the Catholic Church which was set up to deal with sex abuse cases.
Transcript
TONY JONES, PRESENTER: New South Wales police have admitted shredding all documents of the force’s involvement with a key Catholic Church body set up to deal with sex abuse cases.
The sex crimes squad officer on the church body destroyed all her documents after each meeting.
The top level group established by the church’s bishops met monthly with the senior policewoman for at least three hours, over many years.
After being contacted by LateLine, the New South Wales police minister, mike Gallacher has now demanded an urgent briefing from his police commissioner.
And the former director of public prosecutions in New South Wales has described the police actions as “destroying evidence.” Suzie Smith reports.
SUZIE SMITH, REPORTER: The internal church body was known as the professional standards resource group. Set up by Catholic bishops, the expert panel was created to advise the church on specific cases of child sexual abuse involving clergy and others.
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