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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus

Catholic church loses landmark case over tactics that shield it from Australian abuse claims

Brian Cherrie ties ribbons to the fence of St. Patrick Cathedral during a mass for Cardinal George Cardinal Pell
High court rules Catholic church’s use of permanent stays to delay justice in abuse cases is unlawful. Photograph: Diego Fedele/AAP

The Catholic church has lost a landmark case over its controversial use of the deaths of paedophile priests to thwart survivors’ attempts at justice.

The high court on Wednesday delivered a significant blow to the church’s use of permanent stays in historical abuse matters, where it has sought to argue that delay, the death of perpetrators, and the loss of records render it unable to receive a fair trial.

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