"The process has upset me and re-traumatised me on certain levels too. The people who are involved in it tend to not be implementing their own protocols," the man told Radio NZ (RNZ).

RNZ on Tuesday reported the church saying it sent the investigator's report to the complainant in July 2018.

However, the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, rejects this happening and told RNZ he is dissatisfied with the response he received.

RNZ has been shown documentation and emails about the man's case.

The documents show that the man laid a complaint with the church in June 2017; he also talked to the police.

The priest who was involved is now dead, so the police cannot prosecute.

RNZ says the emails show that the National Office of Professional Standards which handles clerical sex abuse and the Society of Mary which covers this particular case, have put the man off.

"They're hoping that perhaps, if the process is drawn out, I'll eventually simply kind of go away. Or it just defaults and nothing's done about it," the complainant said.

In response, RNZ reports the Society of Mary's sexual abuse protocol delegate Judy McCormack told the man in an earlier email: "I can assure you that we are not in the practice of 'dragging out the process' in the hope that people who have come forward will 'give up'."

"We, the members of the committee, work on the committee in and around our own employment. We follow a process that has an order of action."

Following the established process in "A Path to Healing," the Church says it is usual to sort out counselling first before issuing an apology or giving any money.

Sources

• radionz.co.nz
• Image: Pinterest

The church paid her a total of $188,000.00 on what was subsequently shown to be fraudulent claims.

She had provided medical reports by a psychiatrist and a general practitioner supporting her claim as well as emails purportedly from other victims of the same priest.

All her claims as well as the emails from other purported victims were fake.

An independent investigator working for the church at the time found that the information provided was legitimate.

The woman wanted her complaint to be kept confidential and dealt with only by the church.

The complaint was handled in-house by the Palmerston North Catholic Diocese Protocol Committee, which deals with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy.

The fraud was discovered only when the church queried one of the reports with a health provider.

The woman, who has name suppression, appeared at the Morrinsville District Court on Wednesday, June 8.

She had been charged with obtaining by deception $188,190.17 from the Catholic Church.

She is due to appear at the Hamilton District Court on June 27 for sentencing.

In the Morrinsville District Court, the former chair of the protocol committee told the court that the woman took advantage of her goodwill.

"I believe her fraudulent claims have damaged the claims of men and women who have suffered genuine abuse and has caused psychological harm to persons like myself, who give their time to support victims," she said as part of her victim impact statement.

" "I was duped and indeed cynically mocked by one of my own gender who blatantly lied ... fraudulently secured a large sum of money for her own use and committed a grave injustice on an innocent man."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: lawyer-ok.biz