The Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Australian region of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, was found guilty of hiding child abuse by Priest Jim Fletcher.
Fletcher abused children in the New South Wales province in the 1970s. Wilson then helped to keep it quiet.
Wilson was found guilty on the basis of a victim’s statement. Peter Creigh testified that he had told Wilson, when assistant-priest of Fletcher, that Fletcher had abused him.
The archbishop’s lawyers insist that he knew nothing and therefore did not keep anything quiet.
Wilson will hear what punishment he will receive on June 19th. The public prosecutor has demanded a prison sentence. That should act as a deterrent, which could break the culture of silence.
The highest punishment Wilson can get is two years in prison.
The Archbishop’s lawyers wanted the case to be stopped because Wilson has Alzheimer’s.
Wilson is the person with the highest position in the Australian Roman Catholic Church who has been charged with the child abuse scandal.
