Report | Volume 2 Volume 2 Margaret Cunneen SC 30 May 2014
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child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle Special Commission of Inquiry Special Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the police investigation of certain child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of into matters relating to the police investigation of certain Maitland–Newcastle Hope I go darkly through life Hard wired and bare in despair Then emptiness fills with hope. – artist Lina Basile, survivor of abuse by McAlinden Report | Volume 2 Volume 2 Volume Margaret Cunneen SC 30 May 2014 Special Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the police investigation of certain child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle Report | Volume 2 Margaret Cunneen SC 30 May 2014 © State of NSW through the Special Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the police investigation of certain child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle ISBN 978-1-922121-77-6 (print version) 978-1-922121-78-3 (online version) Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the police investigation of certain child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle, 2014 Published 30 May 2014 The painting on the report’s cover is Hope by artist Lina Basile, survivor of abuse by McAlinden. It is reproduced here with her kind permission. Contents PART C TERM OF REFERENCE 2 .............................................................................................................. 1 11 McAlinden: appointments and reported offending history .............................................................. 3 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4 1949 to 1959 ................................................................................................................................... 5 1960 to 1973 ................................................................................................................................... 7 1973 to 1979 ................................................................................................................................... 8 1980 to 1988 ................................................................................................................................. 10 1991 to 1995 ................................................................................................................................. 15 October 1995 to November 2005 ................................................................................................. 19 12 Who knew what and when: church officials’ awareness of McAlinden’s propensity for child sexual abuse .......................................................................................................................... 23 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 25 Potential criminal concealment of child sexual abuse .................................................................. 27 Observations in relation to documents ........................................................................................ 28 1954: first knowledge of McAlinden’s offending .......................................................................... 29 1957 to 1958: ABC reportedly informs Singleton parish priest of abuse by McAlinden .............. 31 May 1976: reports of McAlinden sexually abusing children at Forster–Tuncurry ........................ 32 October 1976: a one-way ticket to Papua New Guinea................................................................ 38 1981: Geraldton, Western Australia ............................................................................................. 39 May 1987: a letter from John Hatton MP to Archbishop Clancy .................................................. 40 1988: McAlinden seeks permission to work in Wewak, Papua New Guinea ................................ 40 1988: Bunbury, Western Australia................................................................................................ 41 September 1991: McAlinden charged .......................................................................................... 41 Establishment of protocols and committees for dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse ............................................................................................................................................ 44 February to May 1993: the allegations of AJ and AL .................................................................... 47 AL’s disclosure .............................................................................................................................. 70 1994 to 1995: McAlinden’s continued work as a priest in the Philippines ................................... 79 March 1995: agitation against McAlinden working in the Philippines ......................................... 80 October 1995: a canonical process attempted ............................................................................. 81 January 1996: advice about misprision of felony ......................................................................... 81 October 1995 to February 1996: correspondence with McAlinden ............................................. 82 1997: the parent of another victim contacts Bishop Malone ....................................................... 83 August 1997: ‘sick and retired priest’ payments .......................................................................... 83 Reporting during Bishop Malone’s episcopacy ............................................................................. 84 Special Commission of Inquiry: report, 30 May 2014 iii Bishop Clarke’s desire to avoid scandal and keep matters ‘in house’: from 1976 to 2003 ........... 90 13 Conduct of certain Church officials pursuant to section 10 of the Special Commissions of Inquiry Act: an analysis .................................................................................................................. 93 Introduction................................................................................................................................... 93 Section 316 of the Crimes Act: concealing serious offence .......................................................... 93 14 Fletcher: appointments and reported offending history ................................................................ 99 Offending history ........................................................................................................................... 99 Prosecution and trial ................................................................................................................... 101 15 Who knew what and when: church officials’ awareness of Fletcher’s propensity for child sexual abuse ................................................................................................................................ 105 First knowledge: 1976 ................................................................................................................. 106 Bishop Malone’s knowledge ....................................................................................................... 106 16 The Watters police investigation.................................................................................................. 131 Background and experience of Detective Inspector Watters ..................................................... 132 Investigating the claims of AE ..................................................................................................... 132 Detective Chief Inspector Fox’s role in the McAlinden investigation.......................................... 151 Diocesan knowledge in relation to whereabouts of McAlinden ................................................. 167 Detective Inspector Watters’ view about the cooperation of church officials ........................... 169 Limitations of the police investigation ........................................................................................ 170 The cooperation of church officials ............................................................................................. 171 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................. 171 17 The Flipo police investigation ....................................................................................................... 173 Background and experience of Detective Senior Constable Flipo ............................................... 173 Investigating the claims of AF...................................................................................................... 173 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................. 183 18 The Fletcher police investigation ................................................................................................. 185 The beginnings of the investigation ............................................................................................ 187 Allegations of hindrance or obstruction during the investigation .............................................. 188 The Malone ‘tip off’ ....................................................................................................................