Archbishop Philip Wilson has announced he will lodge an appeal against his conviction of concealing child sex abuse just days after receiving his sentence.
The 67-year-old appeared in a packed Newscastle court room on Tuesday where he heard he would be spared jail and instead spend 12 months in home detention.
The sentencing sparked uproar across the country with many claiming it wasn’t harsh enough, however, the man who failed to report child sex abuse by pedophile priest James Fletcher in the 1970s has now spoken out about his decision to appeal.
In a statement published by the ABC, Wilson remained adamant he would not leave the post.
“I intend to lodge an appeal against my conviction to the District Court of New South Wales,” he said.
“I am conscious of calls for me to resign and have taken them very seriously.
“However, at this time, I am entitled to exercise my legal rights and to follow the due process of law.”
Throughout the course of last month, the Archbishop claimed he did not remember a then 15-year-old Peter Criegh (also known as Peter Gogarty) confiding in him the abuse endured by Fletcher.
However, Wilson has been accused of covering up the crimes to protect the church’s reputation.
While he has stood aside from all duties, the man, who is one of Australia’s most senior Catholics said he will offer his resignation if the appeal is unsuccessful, but in the mean time will continue as he has.
“The legal process must now be allowed to proceed in the normal way and therefore I do not intend to make any further comment at this time,” he said in the statement.
During the sentencing on Tuesday Magistrate Robert Stone convicted Wilson of his crimes with no possibility of a suspended sentence.
He also stated that while Wilson’s offence was serious they were not at the top end of crimes.
“The importance and ramifications of child sex abuse are well known. It places other people at risk,” he said.
“(Wilson) was in a position of trust…there is no remorse or contrition shown by the offender.”
The Archbishop will appear in court on August 14 after an assessment of home detention.