Church failed to act on sex abuse concerns

ABCOnline/October 26, 2004

The New South Wales ombudsman has revealed a Catholic diocese failed to suspend a priest even though police were investigating sexual assault allegations against him.

In his latest report to Parliament, ombudsman Bruce Barbour says police had concerns about the risk the priest posed to children and had conveyed those concerns to his employer - who failed to act.

Mr Barbour says it was only after his intervention that the priest was immediately suspended from his duties by the primary school he was involved with.

He says the priest's employer had also jeopardised the police investigation by alerting the priest to the pending charges against him.