AUSTRALIA
9 News
The Anglican Archbishop of Perth denies he was intimidated by a former senior clergyman accused of child sex abuse, with whom he had three conversations that he cannot remember.
Archbishop Roger Herft, who was in charge of the Newcastle diocese until 2005, on Monday conceded documents indicate he spoke to former Dean Graeme Lawrence about allegations over numerous years.
But he has told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that he has no recollection of the conversations and is concerned by the fact that the appropriate file notes don’t seem to have been made.
He denied trying to protect Mr Lawrence, who has since been defrocked.
“Are you intimidated by Graeme Lawrence?” counsel assisting the commission Naomi Sharp asked.
“I’m not intimidated by Graeme Lawrence,” Archbishop Herft replied.
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