Protecting the Catholic Church was the archbishop's "primary motive".Former archbishop Philip Wilson to serve sentence at home for concealing child sex abuse

14-8-2018
ABC News

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In May, Wilson was found guilty of concealing the sexual abuse of children at the hands of Fletcher in the NSW Hunter region in the 1970s.

He was later sentenced to a year's detention with six months non-parole.

Magistrate Robert Stone today told Newcastle Local Court Wilson was eligible for home detention with no particular conditions imposed.

Wilson has spent the last few weeks on bail while he and his sister's home were assessed.

He will now head to his sister's home and will be eligible for parole on February 13, 2019.

When sentenced, Magistrate Robert Stone said there was "no remorse or contrition" showed by Wilson.

Mr Stone said protecting the Catholic Church was the archbishop's "primary motive".

"There are no other rational explanations for the offender's conduct," he said.

However, Mr Stone said he accepted Archbishop Wilson was unlikely to reoffend.

Late last month, Pope Francis accepted Wilson's resignation as Adelaide archbishop after he faced intense pressure to step down.

Wilson remains an ordained bishop within the church with no episcopal authority.

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