AUSTRALIA
The Guardian (UK)
Melissa Davey
theguardian.com, Tuesday 19 August 2014
The lawyer in charge of investigating child sex abuse claims on behalf of the Catholic archdiocese in Melbourne told victims that if they went to the police, his investigation process would end.
Peter O’Callaghan QC told the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse on Tuesday that he believed once police became involved, he would be in contempt of court if he continued the church investigation.
The two-week hearing in Melbourne is scrutinising church’s scheme for handling abuse cases, known as the Melbourne Response, established by Cardinal George Pell in 1996.
A witness identified only as AFA told the commission on Monday that during his meeting with O’Callaghan, he was told he would be eligible for compensation from the church of up to $75,000, but this process would be postponed if he went to police.
O’Callaghan said this was standard procedure.
“…if the police are in charge of a matter then I take no further steps because to do so would be conducting a concurrent investigation with the police which would be inappropriate,” he told the Commission.
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