Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson to be assessed for home detention for covering up child sex abuse
THE state’s highest-ranking Catholic Church leader has avoided an immediate jail term for covering up the sexual abuse of altar boys, as a magistrate condemned the widespread devastation wrought on communities. But the conviction will have far-reaching consequences for religious faiths across the globe.
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THE state’s highest-ranking Catholic Church leader has avoided an immediate jail term for covering up the sexual abuse of altar boys, as a magistrate condemned the widespread devastation wrought on communities.
In a world-first decision with far-reaching consequences for religious faiths, Adelaide Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson, 67, was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 months’ jail, which will likely be served on home detention, over his silence about a paedophile priest.
Amid mounting calls for his resignation, the disgraced clergyman faces another hearing next month, when he will learn if he can serve his six-month non-parole period on home detention at his sister’s New South Wales Central Coast home. But if NSW Corrections authorities find he is an unsuitable candidate, Magistrate Robert Stone will order the “senior figure in one of the most respected institutions in our society” into custody.
“The whole of the community is devastated in so many ways by the decades of abuse and its concealment by people who they trusted and respected,” he told Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday.
“The loss of spiritual faith is a matter for the religious bodies to address, yet offending that involves child sex abuse and its concealment affects the fabric of our society and we are all the poorer for what has occurred.”
Wilson, who the court has heard is battling several medical ailments, has refused to resign his post. He on Tuesday became the highest ranking church official worldwide to be sentenced for covering up abuse.
The magistrate found it “noteworthy” that Wilson failed to reveal any cognitive functioning concerns before trial, when he was “adequately performing his role as Archbishop and managing his day-to-day affairs”.
He was on Tuesday formally convicted of concealing Father James “Jim” Patrick Fletcher’s serious indictable crime to authorities between April 22, 2004 and January 7, 2006 at East Maitland, near Newcastle, north of Sydney.
More than four decades earlier, victim Peter Aidan Creigh first told Wilson after an Easter 1976 youth group about Fletcher’s horrific “acts of punishment” inflicted five years earlier when he was aged 10.
Another victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, then told the “trusted” junior priest a strikingly similar story during confession, also in 1976, about Wilson’s former flatmate’s abuse. Wilson’s landmark trial heard Fletcher then abused Daniel Feenan, 41, Peter Gogarty, 57, and other victims until at least November 1991.
The magistrate accepted that when Fletcher was charged in 2004 with abusing Mr Feenan, Wilson had formed a “requisite belief” over his former colleague’s crimes but failed to inform authorities.
As he delivered his 13-page judgment to a packed courtroom on Tuesday, Magistrate Stone rejected Wilson’s trial evidence that he did not remember the abuse conversations.
He said general deterrence was critical but the case was too serious to accept Wilson’s pleas for a conviction and good behaviour bond, although he accepted he would unlikely reoffend despite his lack of remorse or contrition.
Ruling Wilson’s “primary motive was to protect the church”, he found the “mid-range” crime was committed after an “opportunity for rational contemplation” rather than by a “split second decision”.
He said “young, defenceless and vulnerable” children were “irreparably harmed” while their parents who respected and trusted priests, were “treated with total indifference and contempt made worse when they did make complaint”.
“They (the church and clergy) were not under suspicion and the parishioners were betrayed most callously and cruelly because of their misplaced faith, trust and respect, not only by (Fletcher) but … those who knew and concealed it,” he said.
“One cannot lose sight of the fact that there is now so much public outcry and outrage over what has transpired by way of abuse and concealment not only by the Catholic Church, but other major religious organisations and other Associations – such as the Scouts, and Salvation Army.”
The case’s chief investigator, Detective Acting Inspector Jeff Little, paid tribute to the victims outside court and said the most important aspect was Wilson’s conviction that could “pave the way” for other potential concealment prosecutions.
Wilson, who was flanked by supporters including Monsignor David Cappo, refused to comment outside court.
In a statement, new Adelaide Archdiocese administrator Bishop Greg O’Kelly said having “witnessed the anguish and grief of victims”, the church “must continue all efforts to listen and support them”.
An appeal is likely while some victims are preparing to sue the church.
Wilson has not resigned since his guilty verdict.
He has stood down and asked people to “pray for me”. Victims have urged him to quit or for the Vatican to sack him.
Medical reports have revealed a “complex range of conditions” including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnoea and “recurrent falls”. He has a pacemaker.
In a final, cruel twist, the brave victim whose two-page letter to a senior New South Wales Bishop brought about Wilson’s downfall, will miss Tuesday’s sentencing due to poor health.
Father-of six Peter Aidan Creigh is recovering in a Newcastle hospital after undergoing open heart surgery, which included a quadruple bypass.
Speaking ahead of the world-first sentence, real estate worker Mr Creigh, 57, told The Advertiser that he was sad to be missing the sentencing hearing but his health was more important.
“I’m disappointed to miss out on this final day,” he said.
“But irrespective of the sentencing, the victory was had on the 19th (of) May when Magistrate Stone read out the offence is proved.”
His absence came after a whistleblower Catholic Church priest, Father Glen Walsh, 55, took his own life three weeks before Wilson’s trial, at which he was due to be a key prosecution witness.
Prosecutors had argued jailing him send a “clear message” that covering up institutional child sex abuse was no longer tolerated, despite fears it could kill him, as they labelled him remorseless and a liar with an “unflinching loyalty” to the church.
But Wilson’s lawyers insisted jailing the sick and frail clergyman could “threaten his survival” from stress, or leave him at risk of extreme prison violence.
They had said a bond and conviction is adequate for the “medium” range crime that was akin to a “simple assault” due to his good character, lack of criminal history and poor health.
The court heard during a pre-sentence hearing last month how Wilson was still aggrieved with Magistrate Stone’s guilty verdict and that he believed his evidence had not been taken into account.
Mr Creigh, whose large extended family supported him at trial, had told Wilson in 1976 about Fr “Jim’s” abuse when he was a 10 year-old altar boy in the local diocese, north of Sydney.
But Wilson failed to tell authorities about Fletcher’s crimes to Mr Creigh and several other altar boys in the 1970s and 1980s.
Fletcher, 65, died in prison in 2006 while serving a 10 year prison term for abusing another young boy, Daniel Feenan, now aged 41.
Mr Creigh’s letter about Fletcher’s “acts of punishment” to the Most Rev Michael Malone, the former Hunter Valley catholic community, helped trigger the case after authorities discovered it.
TIMELINE OF THE CASE
October 1950: Philip Edward Wilson is born in Cessnock, New South Wales.
February to November 1971: Father James “Jim” Patrick Fletcher indecently assaults young altar boy Peter Aidan Creigh, then aged 10, up to 15 times in an East Maitland Catholic Church.
August 1975: Philip Wilson ordained as a priest in Cessnock.
October: Fr Wilson moves to the St Joseph’s parish in East Maitland.
April 1976: Mr Creigh alleges he told Father Wilson about Fletcher’s sexual abuse after a youth group close to Easter and is told matter will be investigated.
September: Mr Creigh again allegedly raises issue with Fr Wilson after a youth meeting where he is told it is being “looked into”. Nothing further occurs.
Late 1976: A second altar boy allegedly tells Fr Wilson during confession how Fletcher also abused him.
Between 1984 and 1987: Fletcher abuses a third altar boy.
December 2001: Father Wilson appointed Adelaide Archbishop.
May 2003: Fletcher is charged with abusing another altar boy.
November 2004: Fletcher stands trial in NSW accused of those crimes.
December: Fletcher is convicted of nine counts of child sexual abuse.
April 2005: Fletcher is jailed for 10 years.
September: His appeal against conviction is dismissed.
J anuary 2006: Fletcher dies in prison aged 65.
November 2009: Mr Creigh tells his family for the first time about Fletcher’s abuse.
July 2010: He tells his local Bishop about the abuse and the pair meet the next month. The Bishop later writes to Mr Creigh outlining what support he would offer.
February 2013: Mr Creigh first interviewed by police before giving a second statement two months later.
June 2014: Archbishop Wilson give evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
March 2015: Detectives from a special NSW Police strike force charge Archbishop Wilson with covering up child sex abuse. He becomes the highest-ranking Catholic Church official to face court charged with such a crime. He publicly denies the charges.
May 2015: The case has its first hearing in Newcastle.
October 2016: The NSW Supreme Court dismisses the Archbishop’s application for a permanent stay of proceedings.
June 2017: The Full Court of the Supreme Court also dismisses his subsequent appeal.
November 6: Key prosecution witness Father Glen Walsh dies, three weeks before the Archbishop’s trial.
November 28: The Archbishop fails to travel to Newcastle as his Alzheimer’s diagnosis is made public amid concerns for his health, including having a pacemaker installed.
December 6: The trial starts at Newcastle Local Court.
April 10 2018: The trial resumes and Wilson makes his fourth failed attempt to have the prosecution dismissed. He then takes the stand in his own defence.
A pril 13: The trial concludes.
April 17: The Advertiser reveals how one prosecution witness alleges he had been threatened with reprisals.
May 22: Magistrate Robert Stone convicts Wilson of concealing child sex abuse.
July 3: Wilson is sentenced to 12 months home detention.