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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

 

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The Dominion Post
July 13, 2002

Sex abuse hotline fields 12 complaints


A sex abuse hotline set up by the Catholic Church has so far received 12 complaints.

New Zealand Catholic Church spokeswoman Lyndsay Freer said on Thursday that about 25 calls had been received since the line was set up a week ago, 12 of which had been referred to the church's regional complaints protocol committees.

Society of Mary spokesman Father Allan Jones said that since the society's line had been set up a fortnight ago it had received 12 other complaints of sex abuse. Six complaints related to former priest Alan Woodcock, who allegedly abused several boys in the Wellington region in the 1980s. Woodcock is understood to be living in England.

Father Jones said the order would investigate all the complaints.

Meanwhile, Upper Hutt CIB head Detective Sergeant Murray Porter said he had completed his investigation into nine sex abuse complaints against Woodcock and would forward his report to Wellington district commander John Kelly.