FORMER Hunter detective Peter Fox is prepared for repercussions from a book discussing allegations against the Catholic Church and NSW Police that were the final catalyst for a royal commission and state commission of inquiry.
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Walking Towards Thunder will have its Hunter launch at East Maitland Bowling Club on September 3, nearly seven years after the allegations that have earnt him the title of whistleblower.
"I've kept a lot of what happened during that time, both to me and my family, close to my chest," he said.
"It was a bit of therapy in writing it. I wanted to get my story out and I'm happy now. It's out of my system. There may be some repercussions but I can deal with that."
Mr Fox was a high profile Hunter detective when he investigated child sex allegations against Hunter priest Jim Fletcher, leading to Fletcher's conviction in 2004 and death in jail in 2006.
By November, 2012 he appeared on the ABC's Lateline to allege the Catholic Church covered up crimes, silenced victims and hindered police investigations, and controversially alleged there was a "Catholic mafia" in the NSW Police force that covered up crimes.
The allegations prompted the then NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell to launch a commission of inquiry, and three days later the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
While survivors of child sexual abuse and the broader community hailed Mr Fox as a hero, he was savaged by police at the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry, which found no evidence of a ''Catholic mafia'' within NSW Police that was obstructing the investigation of claims against clergy.
Mr Fox said he did not expect the "degree of reprisals and the vindictiveness of people against me" both during and after the commission of inquiry, and repeated his criticism of it.
"The whole process was aimed at me, that's how I saw it," he said.
It took a toll, he said. In the book he details events of 2013, during the inquiry, and 2014 after the inquiry's final report was released. He also details the support he received from the public during the royal commission.
"I'll put my hand up. I was seeing psychiatrists and I was on medication after the commission of inquiry. I went through all that with post traumatic stress disorder. I was a bit of a basket case for a little while after the commission, but this is sadly the plight of most whistleblowers."
Walking Through Thunder is published by Hachette. The Hunter book launch starts at 5.30pm.
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