Dear ttbn,

My point was that it wasn't such a landmark decision since the same decision had been made in another jurisdiction.

Yes, ttbn the poor souls are being persecuted, but look at the bright side, persecution for ones religion can only lead to a higher place in heaven. Issy persecution was the right word, how did guess, my repressed love of Catholicism, it knows no bounds. In fact its on a par with your love of guns. No its not, only kidding.

David, this outcome does add a new dimension to the ongoing saga of paedophilia crime, certainly in Australia. The decision means many within the church hierarchy, who may have felt they were safe from any possible prosecution for their cover up, are not open to legal action. Interesting. The Prosecution in the Wilson case are calling for a jail sentence.

Paul,

I'm glad that you added 'and others" in the OP; the ramifications are indeed widespread and the sooner all the transgressors are prosecuted the better.

I wonder if all the bbc staff who watched Jimmy Saville in action are trembling? I doubt it as leftist care little about kids but are more about hatred. That's why they ignore and make excuses for massive kiddy fiddling among the Indigeneous happening right now. More important to prosecute someone who might/should of done something 50 years ago.

Come on, Paul. Confess your Catholicism. It's good for the soul.

I tell you one thing that we would probably all agree on. The Catholic 'canon law' should have no more standing that Sharia law. Priests should be legally obliged to report to police any abuse of children in the same way as teachers, doctors etc are obliged to.

A little story: when my wife was teaching in a public school many years ago, she reported a case of sexual harassment against herself to the deputy head. He didn't believe her and nothing was done. And, the deputy head was a good friend of hers!

Archbishop Wilson is among a handful of Catholic clerics
in the world to be charged with this specific crime -
including French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin. The findings
in the Wilson case have come at an important time with
Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on multiple historic
sexual abuse charges later this year.

Pope Francis continues to oppose the need for mandatory
reporting of knowledge of child sexual abuse by clerics.

This verdict just may ensure that Catholic clerics will
no longer be out of the reach of the criminal justice
system.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to
Child Sexual Abuse recently recommended that failure to
report child sexual abuse become law in all Australian
states.