The Sydney Morning Herald
Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has pleaded not guilty to concealing child sex abuse in the Catholic church via his lawyer in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday.
Archbishop Wilson, who did not appear, was represented by barrister Simon Buchen, who said his client was pleading not guilty and he was anticipating a lengthy hearing.
He flagged with Magistrate Robert Stone there may be an application to “change the venue”.
One issue was the possible length of any hearing but Mr Buchen alluded to other issues which he did not specify.
“That’s not the only reason,” he said.
Mr Stone said he could make an application but if a magistrate could be made available at Newcastle, if that was where most witnesses were located, it may not be granted.
The prosecution asked for six weeks to prepare the brief of evidence to be served by June 3, reply on June 17, when Archbishop Wilson, who is not on bail, would again be excused from attending.
Archbishop Wilson is the most senior Catholic clergyman in the world to be charged with concealing a child sex abuse allegation against another priest.
He was charged on March 17 with one count of concealing a child sex allegation made against the late Hunter priest Jim Fletcher in the 1970s.
That came nearly nine months after the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry recommended the charge.
Police allege that the archbishop knew for two years – between April 2004 and July 2006 – that Fletcher had abused a 10-year-old boy but failed to notify police.
Outside the court, Mr Buchen said his client had pleaded not guilty and would be defending the charges, but refused to comment on why the archbishop did not come to court.
The archbishop is one of only a handful of Catholic clergymen in the world to be charged with concealing a child sex allegation against another priest, and only the third in Australia after the late Toronto priest Tom Brennan became the first to face such a charge in 2012.
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Adelaide Archbishop pleads not guilty
The Age (Australia)
Date May 7, 2015 – 2:47PM
Adelaide’s Catholic Archbishop has pleaded not guilty to a charge of concealing child sexual abuse committed by a colleague.
Archbishop Philip Wilson was charged in March with one count of concealing information about a serious indictable offence, namely the 1971 sex assault of a 10-year-old boy by priest James Fletcher in Maitland.
Wilson, 64, was excused from appearing on Thursday at Newcastle Local Court, but his lawyer Simon Buchen said his client was pleading not guilty.
Police allege he concealed the abuse between 2004 and 2006.
Wilson has been Archbishop of Adelaide since 2001 and is believed to be the most senior Catholic official in the world to face a charge of this kind.
When the allegation was first raised earlier this year, Wilson said he was disappointed police had decided to charge him and would “vigorously” defend his innocence.
The charge follows an investigation by Strike Force Lantle, which, since 2010, has looked into allegations of concealment of child abuse by former and current clergy attached to the Catholic Church’s Maitland-Newcastle Diocese.
On Thursday Mr Buchen flagged he would apply to move the case from Newcastle to Sydney.
Wilson’s matter returns to court on June 17.
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Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson pleads not guilty to abuse cover-up at Newcastle hearing
news.com.au
12 hours ago May 07, 2015
A reminder that Archbishop Philip Wilson is facing charges for allegedly turning a blind eye to sexual predators in their midst, in this instance, however, the charges predate Wilson’s consecration as a bishop and date to 1976 when he was a priest in the Hunter region.
A reminder too that Archbishop WIlson’s lawyer is Ian Temby QC, one of Australia’s leading lawyers who can command an hourly fee of
$100,000$1,000.That’s a typo Sylvia. $1000.00/h is what you meant to write.
Thanks BC. A BIG typo. 🙂
Sylvia,
I want to be the first to offer: if you’re ever hiring, I can be there in the morning!!! …..
Sorry jg, I can only afford $1,000/hour 🙂
Notes: Archbishop Philip Wilson- charged in March with one count of concealing information about a serious indictable offence, namely the 1971 sex assault of a 10-year-old boy by priest James Fletcher in Maitland.
Wilson, 64,….. is pleading not guilty.
Police allege he concealed the abuse between 2004 and 2006.
Wilson has been Archbishop of Adelaide since 2001.
Reasoning: Like the Msgr Lynn trial (Pennsylvania, USA), if it can be proven Wilson knew of the sex assault, then he should be found guilty and face prison time.
Comment: It’s about time Wilson and other Bishops and Cardinals start shivering in their puffed up robes and face the issue of whether it was better to cover up for “Mother Church” or help the victims and reveal the sexual abusing priests involved.
It’s obvious Wilson sided with the “coverup” that allowed a sexual abusing priest to remain concealed. So many others have abused again and again.
The Church is filled with these coverups! The Vatican vaults “should and will be” opened one day to reveal a horrific holocaust-like tragedy.
Mark my word.
Australians with a conscience are eagerly following this aparent enabler.
However the might of the Catholic Church ensures only minimal reporting in the print median, nothing seeningly on TV. The world will be interested in seeing how other jurisdictions will react if he is convicted. No wonder the Church are using a $1,000 per hour lawyer.
As ISIS seems to be sadly spreading its evil ways, if the Catholic Church does not react with appropriate action then radical Islam and ISIS can only spread. The world needs the Church to act
One last comment: Where is the Church getting $1,000.oo “AN HOUR” to hire lawyers? From Rome? From trust funds? From sold lands? Yes to all. But mostly the Church is getting monies from foolish parishoners who are supporting this…and probably unknowingly doing so.
If people started putting LITERALLY their “2 cents worth” in the collection plates, then the Church would eventually hire court appointed lawyers.
Again, I can’t believe the stuff I read in here!!!
Ok, I believe it, Sylvia, but it’s ‘unbelievable’ !!!!!!!!
Mike, I had to stop the 2 cents thing. No more pennies. So, I have upped it to a nickel.
The $1, 000 per hours is just for the QC (Queen’s Counsel a senior lawyer for those with other than British legal systems), QC’s have an instructing Barrister, then there will usually 2 instructing Solicitors. So the $1,000 per hour would need to be doubled and then some.
Where does the Church get the money ? From all of things listed Mike, but maybe not from Rome. The TAX EXEMPT Church in Australia is very very wealthy. But yes all those parishioners who give money and have given money over the decades have all contributed to the Church war chest. Australia’s largest land owner is hardly broke.
Wasn’t it George Cardinal Pell (formerly of Sydney, now of the Vatican) who famously told a film crew he wouldn’t drink any wine worth less that $300 per bottle? George if you are reading this, or is any friends of George are reading this, did you manage to get your clock repaired ? Such a shame. George you need to be more careful about having silk carpets on the floor and not on the walls where they are meant to be. It could have been a frail elderly person who tripped with catastrophic results.