Philip Wilson’s college classmates rally around him as bodyguards following conviction for covering up child sex abuse
A NETWORK of old boys has rallied around the former Adelaide archbishop, shielding him from scrutiny, urging donations to fund his legal case and embroiling the Catholic Church in new controversy.
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A NETWORK of old boys has rallied around the disgraced former Adelaide archbishop, shielding him from scrutiny, urging donations to fund his legal case and embroiling the Catholic Church in new controversy.
Philip Edward Wilson, 67, is serving a home detention term with “strict” conditions on the NSW Central Coast after this week escaping a custodial sentence for covering up altar-boy abuse.
But as he appeals his landmark conviction, friends from an elite Sydney North Shore boys school are rallying around him and putting “their bodies on the line”.
Several 1963-68 classmates, from the $31,800-a-year St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill, have been regular fixtures at Newcastle Local Court.
Having attended every hearing on a roster, they last week acted as bodyguards for Wilson, shielding him from media scrutiny and questioning.
Their presence exploded to national prominence on Tuesday when an entourage member verbally insulted sex-abuse victim Peter Gogarty, 57 amid ugly scenes outside court.
During a furious exchange caught on camera, semi-retired company director Warwick “Wally” Armstrong, 68, labelled him “rubbish”.
Academic Mr Gogarty, abused by Wilson’s former paedophile priest colleague and flatmate James “Jim” Patrick Fletcher, angrily condemned the slur as proof of the church’s contempt for victims.
Sources suggested the schoolmates, along with friends from his former Newcastle-Maitland church parish, may be helping fund Wilson’s expensive legal bill.
In an email to supporters hours after the scuffle, consultant Richard Munro said the group attended “initially to assist our friend Phil safely through the media pack from his car to the courthouse and then back again afterwards”.
He wrote: “As will probably be shown on National (sic) TV, it got a bit scary at times with aggressive jostling and emotional verbal abuse but together with his legal team we achieved our goal.” One ended up with a nose gash and a “black eye or two”. “My thanks to all of these guys for putting their bodies on the line today,” he wrote.
In the email, one of several obtained by the Sunday Mail, he wrote how “Philip continues to be in good spirits, looking better for having lost 10kg of weight”.
“He thanks everyone for their thoughts, prayers and ongoing support and is looking forward to a positive outcome from his appeal. You know what I am about to say – please continue to keep our friend and classmate in your thoughts and prayers.” The defiant and remorseless clergyman will serve half of his 12-month prison term at his sister and brother-in-law’s two-storey house, near the ocean town of Terrigal, 90 minutes north of Sydney.
Mr Munro and Mr Armstrong did not return calls.
Wilson’s legal team declined to comment yesterday.