Court rules two clergy can be extradited to NZ

SYDNEY - Two Catholic clergymen, accused of sexually abusing boys at a Christchurch school, can be extradited to New Zealand following an Australian court ruling today.

The full bench of the Australian Federal Court reversed an earlier court ruling in Sydney after New Zealand authorities had appealed a judge's ruling against the extradition.

Justice Rodney Madgwick ruled in April that it would be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Brother Rodger Moloney, 71, and Father Raymond Garchow, 59, to New Zealand to face charges.

Christchurch police want the St John of God order clergymen to face allegations they sexually abused pupils in the 1970s at the former Marylands school, which mainly catered for intellectually impaired boys.

Moloney faces 28 charges of abusing 12 boys and Garchow four charges during their time teaching at the school. Both have lived for some years in Sydney and have been fighting extradition since their arrest in December 2003.

- NZPA