Holy Hell by Patricia Feenan

Author:Patricia Feenan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Biographies & Memoirs, Australia, Abuse, Leaders & Notable People, Child, Religious
ISBN: 9780987356550
Publisher: Fontaine Press
Published: 2012-11-28T13:00:00+00:00

15

Our first time at Court was memorable. We arrived together and stood about outside on the footpath. One of the boys spied Fletcher up the street but on the other side. He was wearing huge dark glasses. I had not seen him for a few years and had an overwhelming desire to go and confront him. The two policemen with us warned me to keep my distance and ignore him. I know that Daniel’s two brothers who were with us, wanted to knock him to the ground, at the very least. Same warning to them. A busy Courthouse verandah is not such a pleasant place and we began to feel uneasy as people surged around us exhibiting varying degrees of temperament. A little room was found for us and we crowded in. Daniel and Donna, his fiancée, talked quietly in the corner and we were warned not to talk about anything pertaining to the charges. We had noticed one of Fletcher’s mates, a minister from another denomination church, smoking near us earlier so we heeded the instruction.

There was a rustle of activity and the New South Wales Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer and officers went by wheeling a large suitcase. A lot of statements had been taken and along with items gathered, this paperwork formed the brief of evidence to be presented to the Court. We were invited to enter the court room’s ante chamber and had to go through a checkpoint. There, manning the scanner, was a lady we had known many years before. She asked in a very friendly fashion about the boys and what they were all doing now and I think I just looked at her stupidly. Surely they have tact classes in Court personnel training. There we were with three of the aforementioned boys and she was rabbiting on about them.

Once inside, we were confronted, at fairly close range, by Fletcher’s supporters. We knew most of them and that hurt. Daniel was particularly upset to see the parents of a girl he had been very friendly with at school and of course they just stared at us. Fletcher’s friend, Father Des Harrigan was also there and he avoided contact as well. Father Jim Saunders ushered Fletcher through and into the court room and then came and sat between the two camps. He did greet us and I silently thanked him for his fairness and priestliness.

We were all invited in to the courtroom and in a very rapid process heard Fletcher plead Not Guilty to the charges. Another court date was set and we drove to a quiet place for lunch together. Daniel’s support person, a very old friend with a happy and positive personality was a decided asset that day.

Up until this plea of Not Guilty, we had all nurtured the hope that the priest would plead guilty and that of course would save Daniel from the daunting experience of being the chief prosecution witness in a criminal trial. That was not to be however and so we embarked on a long process of Hearings, Adjournments, and Appearances.

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