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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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One News
August 7, 2002

Former NZ priest arrested in UK

A former New Zealand priest is behind bars in Britain, accused of carrying out sex crimes in the lower North Island in the early 1980s.

Alan Woodcock is alleged to have sexually abused nine teenagers and is due to appear in a London court to face an extradition application.

London police arrested the former teacher and Catholic clergyman after tracking him down to Luton Airport where he was on his way home from Greece.

It is not yet known whether Woodcock will fight moves to bring him back to New Zealand to face his accusers.

Alleged victim Terry Carter is one of nine complainants who allege Woodcock sexually abused them between 1982 and 1985.

During that time Woodcock worked as a teacher and counsellor at an Upper Hutt catholic college and also served as a priest in the Manawatu and Wellington regions.

Woodcock left the catholic Order of the Society of Mary in 1991 and moved to the United Kingdom.

A judge will make a decision as to whether he will be extradited and if Woodcock agrees a court will issue a warrant for extradition and he will be escorted out of Britain within 10 days. If he decides to fight extradition the legal battle to get him back to New Zealand could take several months.

Police know little of Woodcock's movements over the past 10 years but say he has been recently selling shoes in a central London store.

They say he will face several indecency charges if extradited.

"If there are more complainants out there I would encourage them to go to the Upper Hutt police," Detective Sergeant Stuart Mills from Interpol New Zealand said.

Brent Cherry has counselled some of the complainants.

"They are pleased that justice is beginning to happen but also nervous that is getting close to possibly court cases," Cherry said.

Woodcock's former catholic order is promising to support everybody who lays a complaint.

"We want to ensure that whatever we can do to help them can be done. We know we can't undo the damage that was done but if this is some help then we will assist the police in any way we can," Father Dennis O'Fagen said.