Archbishop mislead the public

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has admitted misleading the public over an investigation into alleged sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl by a priest.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor last year promised the case had been handed over to an independent solicitor. He admitted today that this was not true.

The abuse allegation was first made 10 years ago, when the Cardinal was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton. A woman in her mid-twenties alleged she had been sexually abused by a priest in the diocese when she was 12. Another priest asked the Cardinal to investigate the claim.

Today the Cardinal said: "I did forget this case. There were 10 cases and I didn't remember this one. But I handled the matter properly and professionally." He added that the "historical" case would now be examined independently.

The woman who originally made the abuse claim said today: "I believed the Church would deal with it. I feel terribly betrayed."