[3] Ryan's abuse and Bishop Clarke's attempts to conceal his crimes are featured in the ABC documentary series Revelation.

[8] A parishioner, Kath Edwards (known as "CNA" during the royal commission), told Cotter that her two young boys, aged 6 and 8 years old, had said Ryan had touched them on their genitals.

Geatches heard the commotion and discovered Phylis McDonald (Gerard's mother), another parent and a group of Year 5 boys at the top of the stairs.

[11][12] Scott Hallett and Gerard McDonald disclosed to their teacher, Chris Hallinan, that Ryan had sexually assaulted them during altar boy practice.

Hallinan told the Royal Commission that he believed complaints against Ryan would be dealt with by the church, that he should take no further action and if he did not cease his involvement there could be a risk to his future employment.

[15] On the same night, Sister Woodward reported the allegations to Cotter, which she said was "oral and anal penetration, penis sucking and attempts at masturbation".

Geatches told the Royal Commission she thought paedophilia could be cured with treatment and regretted not taking further action.

In 1976, Kauter was approached by Phylis McDonald who told the nun that her son and other boys had been sexually abused by Ryan.

In late January 1976, Ryan travelled to "La Verna" Franciscan retreat house in Kew, Melbourne.

[18] In an interview for the ABC television series Revelation, Evans said that "The only reason Ryan was sent to me at La Verna was because the church wanted to cover up a crime."

CNE told the royal commission that Ryan sexually abused him when he served as an altar boy on weekends.

[25][26] Sister Woodward received a call from McDonald's mother, alleging that Ryan had sexually abused a group of altar boys and that her son was planning to report this to police.

The men provided Grant with detailed maps of St Joseph's sacristy and described how Ryan had masturbated, performed oral sex and attempted to anally rape Gerard McDonald.

On 11 October 1995, Senior Constable Troy Grant travelled to Taree, entered the presbytery and introduced himself to Ryan.

[33] On 30 October 1995, police executed a search warrant on Ryan's house and seized a number of items which corroborated the complaints of a victim.

Newcastle Herald journalist Jeff Corbett reported that Bishop Clarke had been ordered by the Vatican to retire when they learned of the police investigation.

[35] As Ryan was charged, the newly installed Bishop Malone was ending the ministry of another abusive priest in his diocese, Father Denis McAlinden.

"[36][37] On 13 November 1995, Bishop Malone wrote to priests of the diocese, requesting they read a pastoral statement regarding Ryan's sexual abuse charges.

he Royal Commission found that Malone made a number of public statements that misrepresented the true position in relation to the adequacy of the diocese's response.

During this interview Ryan made further admissions to sexual assaults upon 18 more children at Hamilton, East Gresford, Cessnock, Maitland and Merewether.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Neild said that "there could be no greater breach of trust that for a priest to sexually abuse children of his congregation.

At worst, as you are aware, the police considered charging Monsignor Cotter with criminal offences relating to his failure to deal with this matter appropriately.

The MOU clearly stated that Ryan posed an unacceptable risk as he has been convicted of an offence involving repeated sexual assault of a number of children and was on the Sex Offender Register.

Ryan expressed a desire to remain a member of the diocese and Bishop Malone agreed, under conditions outlined in the MOU.

In August 2009, Bishop Malone appealed to Pope Benedict XVI for early retirement after struggling to cope with the child sex abuse scandals in his Diocese.

"[42] In 2013, Malone told the Cunneen Special Commission of Inquiry in Newcastle that he never looked at confidential files about priests despite the fact many had been charged and convicted of sexual abuse of children.

[44][45] Ryan (then aged 73) was released from Long Bay Correctional Centre on parole on 6 August 2010, having served 14 years and 9 months imprisonment.

[citation needed] Ryan (then aged 78) appeared in the District Court of New South Wales on 27 April 2016, charged with multiple sexual offences against one boy in East Gresford.

[47] On the eve of trial Ryan pleaded guilty to three charges, including attempting sexual intercourse with the boy.

Judge Dina Yehia, the Crown prosecutor, the defence and Ryan consented to filming and the trial featured in Episodes 1 and 2 of the series.