Australian Archbishop becomes highest ranking Catholic clergyman to be sentenced for concealing sexual abuse

Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson has been sentenced to 12 months’ home detention, with a non-parole period of six months, after failing to report instances of child sexual abuse.

Archbishop Wilson, 67, has avoided a jail sentence and become the most senior Catholic clergyman in the world to be charged and convicted of concealing child sexual abuse. The charges relate to the Archbishop’s failure to report the historical indecent assault of two altar boys in the 1970s.

He stood aside from his role as leader of the Adelaide archdiocese in May after being found guilty, but refused to resign unless it became “necessary or appropriate”.

The offence carries a maximum two year jail term.

Follow inkl’s Lead Stories feed for more on this story from our publishers.