The Royal Commission held a public hearing in Newcastle from Wednesday 31 August to Thursday 8 September and in Sydney on Friday 9 December 2016.
The public hearing inquired into the response of Catholic Church authorities in the Maitland-Newcastle region to allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy and religious.
The scope and purpose of the public hearing was to inquire into:
- The experience of survivors of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy and religious in the Maitland-Newcastle region.
- The response of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle to allegations of child sexual abuse made against Father Vincent Ryan.
- The response of the Marist Brothers to allegations of child sexual abuse made against Marist Brothers including Francis Cable (Brother Romuald) and Thomas Butler (Brother Patrick).
- The impacts of child sexual abuse on survivors, families, and the community in the Maitland-Newcastle region.
- Any related matters.
The Royal Commission has delivered the report of Case Study 43 - The response of Catholic Church authorities to allegations of child sexual abuse in the Maitland–Newcastle region - to the Governor-General and governments.
The Royal Commission's Terms of Reference require that its work did not prejudice current or future criminal or civil proceedings. For this reason, Commissioners recommended the report should be withheld until those proceedings had concluded.
The report was published in full on 20 October 2020.
Opening address
Submission
Transcripts
Witness list
Case Study 43: Counsel Assisting, Stephen Free
Case Study 43: Counsel Assisting, Stephen Free
Case Study 43: Counsel Assisting, Stephen Free
Case Study 43: The Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM
