The trial against the priest given the pseudonym CKC fell over when his defence team, comprised of prominent church figures, produced a register showing that the abuse could not have happened when the complainant said it did.
CKA, the man who alleged serious prolonged abuse by the priest, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard in Newcastle on Thursday that he would never recover from the impact of the church's response, which was to throw its full weight behind the priest who he claimed ruined his life.
He catalogued how, when he rang an Anglican sex abuse helpline, he was answered by Graeme Lawrence - the dean of Newcastle Cathedral who was himself a suspected child abuser and CKC was his offsider.
When CKA reported the abuse to police in 2000 and CKC was brought to trial, the priest's legal team consisted of Paul Rosser QC who was deputy chancellor of the diocese and solicitor Keith Allen who was also heavily involved with church.
They used his calls to the helpline, and also the fact he has sought psychiatric help, to argue he was unstable.
When they produced a register which recorded CKC's movements at the time the alleged abuse happened, the prosecution told CKA they would not be pressing ahead with the trial, which had only run for two days.
The church then put out a statement that CKC had been acquitted, which was not true, he said.
Ian Temby, representing the state of NSW, has asked the commission not to identify CKC because it could prejudice a potential re-trial.
The commission is considering the application.
Bishops and clergy 'knew full well' about abuse
"I cannot get over the sheer frustration of dealing with bishops and clergy who I believe knew full well what CKC was doing and did nothing,"
CKA said as he outlined how at every turn he was met by a bizarre wall of mateship focused on supporting one another.
CKA, now 55, said his family life revolved around the church. Three of four boys became altar boys and he was 10 years old in 1971 when he met parish priest CKC.
CKA alleged that for four years the priest molested him in ways that included oral sex and anal rape.
CKC then began to molest his younger brother CKB.
CKA recalled his anger in 1977 when CKC was allowed to give a sermon at the funeral of his mother who had died suddenly.
His mother had reported the abuse to Bishop Ian Shevill before she died.
"It upset me terribly that the church degraded our family by allowing CKC to officiate at her funeral."
Bishop told of priest's porn at inquiry
A senior figure in the Anglican diocese of Newcastle says he got statements from removalists who told him one of their priests had a large collection of male-on-male pornography.
Former archdeacon Colvin Ford says workers at the furniture removal company refused to finish the job of moving senior priest Peter Rushton in 1998 after finding the pornography.
Rev Ford has told the child abuse royal commission today he reported the conversation to Bishop Roger Herft and had a meeting with him, a retired bishop and Rushton.
