AUSTRALIA
Sky News
Monday July 1, 2013
Catholic Church leaders bought a one-way plane ticket to New Guinea in 1976 for known Hunter Valley pedophile priest Denis McAlinden, a special NSW commission of inquiry has heard.
In the Supreme Court in Newcastle on Monday, counsel assisting the commission, Julia Lonergan, outlined testimony that would be presented by witnesses and through documents during the next three weeks.
The inquiry, before Commissioner Margaret Cunneen, is examining how police and church officials handled child sexual abuse allegations involving McAlinden and another Hunter Valley Catholic priest, James Fletcher.
Ms Lonergan said church documents showed McAlinden, who died in 2005, was bought the plane ticket despite church officials knowing he had repeatedly abused young girls and boys in a variety of parishes from 1953.
Also appearing at Monday’s hearing was Maitland/Newcastle Bishop William Wright, who read a prepared statement of ‘unreserved’ apology that acknowledged abuse by McAlinden and Fletcher, who died in jail in 2008.
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