Adelaide Diocese of Catholic Church report clears sex claims

A THREE-month investigation by the Catholic Church has rejected rape claims by breakaway Anglican Archbishop John Hepworth against a senior priest. 
 
Archbishop Hepworth claimed he had been raped more than 40 years ago.

The investigation was commissioned by the Catholic Church's Adelaide Archdiocese and conducted by lawyer Michael Abbott, QC.

He also found "there was no undue delay" in the church's handling of the case.

Mr Abbott was critical of Senator Nick Xenophon, who named the priest at the centre of the allegations, Monsignor Ian Dempsey, in Parliament in September because of concerns there had been a delay in dealing with the case.     More