Catholic Church found home for sex offender priest

Another sex offender priest has been found living in accommodation provided by the Catholic Church.

Finian Egan was jailed for four years for sexual attacks on three young girls.

A fourth woman, Susan, claimed she was just nine when Egan allegedly raped her forty years ago.

"He's an evil predator," she said.

"He's the devil on earth, I think."

However, after repeated court adjournments, and on psychological and medical advice, Susan withdrew the charges.

She said she "ran out of hope" battling the Church.

Egan became a centre of controversy when Immigration Minister Peter Dutton attempted to have him deported after he was released from jail.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruled Egan could keep his Australian citizenship, in part because the Church guaranteed to support and supervise him.

The ruling was also made on grounds of Egan's age, ill health and low risk of re-offending.

The Tribunal believed Egan would benefit from the support of the Church.

Now, he lives in a semi-rural mansion owned by the Marist Brothers, on Sydney's outskirts.

The discovery follows revelations on A Current Affair last night that the Church continues to financially support priests convicted of sex offences.

The Diocese of Broken Bay entered into a commercial agreement with the religious order for the use of the property but in a statement, the diocese said Egan paid his own rent.

"I just don't see why the Church should be looking after these priests and caring for them when the victims of the priests are just tossed aside like trash," Susan said.

"I'll suffer, basically, until the day I die. These things never leave you. I live with the memories and the flashbacks and the nightmares and the horrors of losing my childhood."

The Catholic Church has told A Current Affair research supports their stand that supporting and monitoring priests convicted of sex offences decreases the risk of re-offending.