Patrick Cotter

Patrick Daniel Cotter (1914 – 28 July 2007) was an Irish-born Catholic priest who was incardinated in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in Australia from 1938 to 2007. During two major inquiries into child sexual abuse in the diocese, Cotter was found to have had knowledge of serious allegations against at least three priests. Despite hearing admissions by the accused priests and receiving multiple complaints from teachers, parents and children, Cotter did not report anything to police. The accused priests went on to abuse scores of children. Life and career Born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1914, Cotter was ordained as a priest in 1937 after studying in Italy. Cotter immigrated to Australia in 1938 and served in a variety of positions in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle under Bishop Edmund Gleeson (1931-1956) and Bishop John Toohey (1956-1975). When Toohey died, Cotter was appointed vicar capitular pending the appointment of a new bishop. Leo Clarke was ordained bishop of the diocese in June 1976 and Cotter served as his vicar general from 1976 to 1979. Concealment of child sex abuse