AUSTRALIA
Maitland Mercury
By ELLE WATSON July 19, 2013
A Hunter priest has blamed the effects of general anaesthetic for his significant memory loss in relation to events surrounding paedophilia within the Maitland-Newcastle diocese.
Former Vicar General Father William Burston said he was unable to remember in answer to dozens of questions during cross-examination at the special commission of inquiry into alleged sexual abuse cover-ups by the Catholic church.
Father Burston could not assist the inquiry with answers about events, letters, church media releases and conversations regarding paedophile priests Denis McAlinden and James Fletcher throughout the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, up until 2004.
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