Australian priest found not guilty of rape -

Australian priest found not guilty of rape

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

The Catholic Church in Adelaide has found there is no substance to an allegation of rape against one of its senior clerics.

The allegation was brought by Traditional Anglican Archbishop, John Hepworth and dates back 40 years to when he was a Catholic seminarian.

The investigation, conducted by Michael Abbott, a prominent Adelaide QC, found there was no undue delay in the way in which the diocese dealt with Hepworth’s allegations.

Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, said yesterday, the investigations were very extensive.

The investigation included interviews with 29 witnesses, many of whom were present at the time when the alleged incidents occurred.

“I am satisfied that Mr Abbott examined every aspect of the allegations raised by Archbishop Hepworth”, Wilson said.

“Based on the findings made in the report, and the evidence upon which it is based, I intend to accept the findings in full.”

Wilson said the sensitive nature of the report means he will not be releasing it.

Australian Senator Nick Xenophon, who in February used Parliamentary privilege and named Monsignor Ian Dempsey as Hepworth’s assailant, dismissed the inquiry as a “joke”.

Labelling the process as “flawed”, Xenophon said “John Hepworth wasn’t even interviewed.”

“This made the Spanish Inquisition look fair,” Xenophon said.

Mr Abbott however disputes Xenophon’s comments.

“I have interviewed all the witnesses available to me and I have, through my instructing solicitors, made many requests for Archbishop Hepworth to be interviewed by me.”

“I also had complete access to the Archives of the Archdiocese and to the records of the Glenelg Parish,” Mr Abbott told the The Advertiser.

“I reached the conclusions I did … after taking into account all of the evidence which was available to me. On that basis I did not accept the allegations made by Archbishop Hepworth concerning Monsignor Dempsey.”

“I note that Monsignor Dempsey was named by Senator Xenophon as the person in respect of whom Archbishop Hepworth has made these allegations.”

“I also note that Senator Xenophon conducted no inquiry, interviewed no witnesses and had access to no documents (except Archbishop Hepworth’s accounts) before taking the course he did in the Senate.”

“In view of the conclusions that I have come to in my report, it is regrettable that Senator Xenophon took the course he did before an investigation had been concluded.”

Senator Xenophon however said the inquiry should not have progressed until Archbishop Hepworth found the process comfortable enough to participate in.

Hepworth had previously accused the Adelaide diocese of delaying the inquiry.

Last night, Monsignor Dempsey said he was “very much relieved that Mr Abbott has discerned the truth regarding the false accusations”.

“From the beginning I have categorically denied the accusations, but even though I know of my own innocence it has been a very trying and difficult period of my life,” he said.

Sources