Senior police officer was victim of abuse

AUSTRALIA
ABC News

[with video]

Newcastle’s most senior police officer, Superintendent John Gralton, has told the inquiry into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church that he and some friends were abused by a priest as schoolboys.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Newcastle’s most senior police officer has told a special commission of inquiry he and his friends were abused by a priest as schoolboys.

The evidence came as the chief investigator into alleged child sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy in the Newcastle region shone a light of the volume of cases.

Philippa McDonald reports.

PHILIPPA MCDONALD, REPORTER: For the man who runs one of the busiest police commands in the state, this inquiry is personal.

“I was assaulted by a priest in front of 40 students.”

Superintendent John Gralton has told the special commission into child sexual abuse in the Hunter region that he wasn’t alone in his humiliation, which he reported to police.

“I gave details of probably five or six friends of mine who were indecently assaulted to investigators.”

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