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Archbishop Philip Wilson to fight conviction for abuse cover-up | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Catholic archbishop in Australia says he will appeal against his conviction for concealing child sexual abuse. | A Catholic archbishop in Australia says he will appeal against his conviction for concealing child sexual abuse. |
Archbishop of Adelaide Philip Wilson was found guilty in May of covering up abuse by a paedophile priest in New South Wales (NSW). | |
He is the most senior Catholic globally to be convicted of the crime. | He is the most senior Catholic globally to be convicted of the crime. |
During his trial, Wilson denied that he knew of the abuse of altar boys by a paedophile priest in the 1970s. He has so far refused to step down. | |
"I am conscious of calls for me to resign and have taken them very seriously," he said in a statement. | "I am conscious of calls for me to resign and have taken them very seriously," he said in a statement. |
"However, at this time, I am entitled to exercise my legal rights and to follow the due process of law." | "However, at this time, I am entitled to exercise my legal rights and to follow the due process of law." |
On Tuesday, a court sentenced Wilson to a maximum of 12 months in detention. | On Tuesday, a court sentenced Wilson to a maximum of 12 months in detention. |
Magistrate Robert Stone ordered Wilson to be assessed for "home detention" - meaning he will probably avoid jail. | |
In May, a court found he had failed to report his colleague James Patrick Fletcher's abuse of altar boys to police in NSW. | |
Wilson, a junior priest at the time, had dismissed young victims in a bid to protect the Church's reputation, Magistrate Stone found. | |
Fletcher was convicted of nine child sexual abuse charges in 2004, and died in jail two years later. | |
The archbishop's lawyers had sought to have the case thrown out on four occasions, citing the 67-year-old's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease. | |
Wilson stood down from his duties following his conviction. | |
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called on the senior clergyman to resign as archbishop. | |
"I'm surprised that he has not resigned," Mr Turnbull told reporters. | |
"Clearly given the outcome of the case, the lawsuit, the prosecution - he should resign." |
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