Catholic church loses landmark case over tactics that shield it from Australian abuse claims

Guardian investigation found the church routinely uses deaths of paedophile priests to avoid paying or reducing amount of settlements

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The Catholic church has lost a landmark case over its controversial use of the deaths of paedophile priests to thwart survivors’ attempts at justice.

The high court on Wednesday delivered a significant blow to the church’s use of permanent stays in historical abuse matters, where it has sought to argue that delay, the death of perpetrators, and the loss of records render it unable to receive a fair trial.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup