AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun
Father John Fleming’s inappropriate relationships “wrong whichever way you cut it”, court hears
CHIEF COURT REPORTER SEAN FEWSTER THE ADVERTISER OCTOBER 17, 2014
FATHER John Fleming’s inappropriate relationship with a male parishioner and “prurient” interest in two teenage girls was “wrong whichever way you cut it”, a court has heard.
Lawyers for the Sunday Mail today told the Supreme Court their evidence against the prominent priest was a “contextual tsunami” that would “break” over his years of denials.
Andrew Harris, QC, for the newspaper — published by the same company as The Advertiser — said his client’s defence centred on the evidence of the girls and the man.
“This case is about three unconnected people who each thought they were the only ones to be involved sexually with Fr Fleming,” he said.
“Each of these three people will tell a story about Fr Fleming taking advantage of them and about the impact this has had on their lives.
“(One of them) effectively assumed the role of providing an outlet for his sexual urges … she thought her calling was to be a sexual outlet for a priest who was 15 years older than her.”
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