Fresh sex abuse allegations against Australian clergyman
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Fresh sex abuse allegations against Australian clergyman*
By Greg Roberts
October 15, 2007 01:00am
Article from: The Australian
THE Anglican Church is investigating fresh allegations of sexual
misconduct against a senior South Australian clergyman.
The allegations surfaced as the church was forced to secure a housing
loan of $190,000, which was approved by the clergyman, Peter Coote, for
his bishop.
Archdeacon Coote was stood down by Ross Davies, the Bishop of the
Murray, after The Australian revealed in July that three women had
complained of sexual misconduct by the archdeacon.
Bishop Davies was told in an internal church report in 2004 that the
complaints were credible, but he has said he took no action against the
archdeacon at the time - other than to refer him to a counsellor -
because of legal advice.
Murray diocesan sources said that since Mr Coote was stood down, several
other women had registered complaints about unwanted sexual advances
from the archdeacon.
Murray diocesan chancellor John Harley said the complaints were being
investigated by the professional standards committee of the church's
Adelaide diocese. Mr Coote chaired a Murray diocesan finance committee
meeting that approved the housing loan to Bishop Davies in 2003.
Bishop Davies lives in a church-owned home in the town of Murray Bridge
but used the loan to buy a unit in the Adelaide suburb of Plympton. A
Lands Titles Office search last week showed there was no mortgage
registered on the unit title.
The meeting chaired by Mr Coote that approved the loan resolved to
ratify a decision to "make available up to $190,000 for a secured
mortgage to a clergyman". The clergyman was Bishop Davies, but his name
was not referred to in the minutes of the meeting.
Following inquiries by The Australian, Mr Harley initiated moves to have
the bishop's mortgage registered with the Lands Titles Office.
"It should have been registered before but the delay had nothing to do
with the bishop," said Mr Harley, speaking on the bishop's behalf. "The
loan is a normal commercial mortgage."
Mr Harley said "no special favours" in terms of the bishop's handling of
complaints against Mr Coote were offered in return for the loan.
Anglican Primate Phillip Aspinall and Adelaide Archbishop Jeffrey Driver
are considering an appeal by Murray parishioners to establish a tribunal
to determine if Bishop Davies should continue in office.
The parishioners have cited the bishop's failure to respond adequately
to complaints against Mr Coote, and his licensing of clergy attached to
the ultra-conservative, US-based Traditional Anglican Communion.
Archbishop Driver said because clergy had difficulty buying homes on
retirement, it was not uncommon for churches to provide housing loans.
The archbishop declined to comment on whether he was satisfied by the
way the loan was handled by the Murray diocese.
Mr Coote, who has not faced charges, declined to comment.