Family members of an Irish priest wanted in connection with allegations of child sex abuse in Britain have denied he is staying with them in Australia.
A brother of Meath-born, Fr Christopher Clonan, said he had not heard from the on-the-run priest since he left Australia in 1993 after his visa expired.
Fr Clonan's elderly mother and nine siblings live in various parts of the Melbourne area. He stayed with a family member for around a year before being refused a resident's permit after British police provided immigration authorities with a negative assessment.
West Midlands police had prepared papers for the extradition of Fr Clonan at the time but the Crown Prosecution Service decided against instituting proceedings.
However, earlier this week detectives re-opened the case and have prepared 19 charges of child sex abuse against the Clonard-born priest. Acting Det Insp Keith Clarke said he believes Fr Clonan has now returned to Melbourne, probably under an assumed identity.
But Mr Andrew Clonan said he has not heard from his brother since he drove him to the airport in 1993 bound for a flight to Manila.
"They kicked him out of Australia, I took him to the airport myself," he told Australian reporters.
"To the best of my knowledge nobody else in the family has heard from him," Mr Clonan added.