AUSTRALIA
7 News
By Paul Maguire, AAP
Updated May 10, 2013
A Hunter Valley Catholic priest suspected of sexually abusing children over four decades boasted he would beat any charges against him, a special commission of inquiry has heard.
When police arrived on his doorstep in September 2005 with an arrest warrant, Father Denis McAlinden allegedly said, “I was previously charged with child abuse matters and I beat those charges, so if I am around long enough, I will beat these charges too”.
But the 72-year-old, who had terminal cancer, was not charged and died soon afterwards.
The commission, which began in Newcastle Supreme Court on Monday, is investigating the way police and the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic diocese handled child sex allegations, particularly those involving Fr McAlinden and Father James Fletcher, who is also dead.
The NSW commission was established after Hunter Valley Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox alleged church officials covered up criminal offences and, along with some police, hindered investigations.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.