FORMER Adelaide Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson’s appeal against his conviction for concealing child sexual assault is expected to begin in Newcastle District Court on either Tuesday or Wednesday next week.
Wilson, 68, became the most senior Catholic cleric in the world to be convicted of covering up child sexual abuse after a landmark hearing in Newcastle Local Court this year.
Magistrate Robert Stone ultimately sentenced Wilson to a maximum of 12 months, with a non-parole period of six months, but ordered that the former Archbishop could serve the sentence in home detention.
Wilson launched a conviction appeal against Mr Stone’s guilty finding, while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) lodged its own appeal against the inadequacy of the sentence and will again call for the former Archbishop to be jailed.
Judge Roy Ellis, who will hear the appeals, said the matter would begin on Tuesday if he had pre-read the brief of evidence and submissions by that time, or Wednesday if he had not.
