Australian priest sacked over child pornography
By IANSTuesday, August 24, 2010
MELBOURNE - A former school church priest has been sacked from a girls’ college in Sydney after being charged with possessing child pornography.
Reverend Matthew David O’Meara, 40, who worked at St Michael’s Grammar School for three years until December last year, was sacked by Perth girls’ College after the alleged discovery of pornographic images of children aged between eight and 12.
Archbishop Roger Herft said O’Meara’s licence had been suspended pending the outcome of the case. The priest is to appear in court Sep 2, The Age reported.
A letter to St Michael’s parents said children at the two schools did not appear to have been “involved in the matters that are the subject of a police investigation”.
“I have been advised that Reverend O’Meara will be pleading not guilty to the charges,” a letter from St Michael’s head Simon Gipson said. “St Michael’s has found no evidence to indicate that Reverend O’Meara acted improperly during his employment with St Michael’s.”
Staff in Perth found a thumb drive this month and notified police. Online exploitation squad detectives charged O’Meara with two counts of possessing child pornography Friday. Detectives have seized computer equipment belonging to O’Meara.
