Terence Goodall

Terence Goodall (born 1944) is a Roman Catholic priest who was convicted in 2006 for an indecent assault that occurred in the early 1980s. Allegations about the treatment of the case were raised in 2008 as part of a sexual abuse scandal that surrounded the Melbourne Catholic archdiocese, and which was part of a wider sexual abuse scandal faced by the Roman Catholic Church in Australia.
Biography
Assault and conviction
In 1982, a 29 year old man accused Terence Goodall of sexual assault, apparently raising his concerns with the church within a month of the event. 20 years later, with no action having been taken on the original complaint, the man raised his concerns a second time. This led the church into launching an investigation into two complaints: the 1982 sexual assault and another case involving a minor. The investigation upheld both accusations, and recommended that the church provide compensation to the victims. However, Cardinal George Pell, upon considering the report's recommendations, decided to uphold the complaint regarding the minor, but to dismiss the second complaint. Pell also requested that Goodall's suitability to continue as a priest be reassessed, and as a result Goodall was stood down.
Three months later, in 2003, dissatisfied with the church's response, the original complainant took his concerns to the police and a second investigation was launched. As part of the investigation, and under the supervision of detective in charge of the case, the victim telephoned Goodall. During the conversation Goodall appeared to admit that the assault both took place and that it was not consensual. Based in part on this , Terence Goodall was charged with indecent assault and attempted buggery under 1982 legislation. Although repealed prior to 2003, these laws effectively made homosexual sex illegal, irrespective of consent. However, while Goodall was found guilty of the charge in 2005, he was only given a symbolic "four second" sentence - the "rising of the court" - although the conviction nevertheless demonstrated that homosexual acts committed prior to 1984 could still be prosecuted in New South Wales, in spite of the subsequent changes to the law.
Referring to the conviction, Cardinal George Pell stated that "Goodall was convicted in court under the laws in vogue in 1982 which are now changed". Furthermore, he noted that "There was never any allegation by prosecutors of rape. Goodall was sentenced until the rising of the court and the judge remarked publicly that his conviction would be unlikely under today's law." In his defence, Pell admitted that the letter had been "poorly worded and a mistake", but that he had been trying to say that there had been no other allegations of rape.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu