The
diocese of Portsmouth has been accused of damaging perceptions of the
Church's safeguarding work after it failed in its bid to avoid
liability for abuse allegedly committed by one of its priests.
In
its annual report for 2011-12, published last week, the National
Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC) criticised the diocese's
decision to appeal against a High Court ruling that it could be held
vicariously liable for abuse allegedly committed by the late Fr Wilfrid
Baldwin in a Hampshire care home run by an order of nuns in the 1970s.
The Appeal Court upheld the High Court's decision on 12 July.
Speaking
at the launch of the annual report, NSCS chairman Danny Sullivan said
it was important to avoid the perception that the needs of victims of
clerical abuse were not the Church's priority.
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