In June, Belgium police launched a stunning raid on offices of the Catholic hierarchy as the bishops were meeting. They were held for hours, files related to child abuse were seized, including testimony of victims which were given to an independent commission on condition of confidentiality. Holes were drilled in the tombs of two Catholic prelates in a search for hidden documents.

Now, in another stunning development, the Belgian Attorney General has described the raids as 'unlawful' and that any evidence seized in the raid may be inadmissible in court.

Victim groups are up in arms about the AG's stance but he has to do his job and if the raids were unlawful he has to say so. In fact, given the current climate of anti-Catholicism, he is to be commended for saying so.