Catholic Priest Charged with Historical Child Sex Offences - Eastwood Lac

NSW Police Force
May 1, 2012

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_releases?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmViaXoucG9saWNlLm5zdy5nb3YuYXUlMkZtZWRpYSUyRjIyOTM5Lmh0bWwmYWxsPTE%3D

Detectives in Sydney’s north-west have arrested and charged a Catholic priest with child sex offences dating back four decades.

The 77-year-old man attended Ryde Police Station with his legal representative about 10am today (Tuesday 1 May 2012).

He was taken into custody by detectives attached to Eastwood Local Area Command and questioned in relation to alleged sexual offences against four children.

The offences allegedly occurred between 1972 and 1987, while the man was appointed as a priest to parishes in Sydney and on the Central Coast.

He was subsequently charged with 17 offences, including:

Three charges of Indecent Assault Section 61E(1) relating to an alleged incident involving a 16-year-old girl at Carlingford in 1987;

10 charges of indecent assault Section 76 relating to an alleged incident involving a 11-year-old girl at Carlingford in 1979;

One charge of indecent assault Section 81 relation to an alleged incident involving a 14-year-old boy at The Entrance in 1973; and

Two counts of indecent assault (Section 76) and one count of rape (Section 63) relating to an alleged incident involving a 17-year-old girl at The Entrance in 1972.

The man was granted strict conditional bail to appear in Ryde Local Court on 23 May 2012. Inquiries by Eastwood Detectives are ongoing.

Eastwood Local Area Commander Superintendent Peter Marcon said the charges are all repealed charges under the Crimes Act 1900.

“These charges were laid as they would have been consistent with the laws at the time of the alleged offences being committed,” Superintendent Marcon said.

“In today’s terminology you have equivalent offences of Indecent Assault, Aggravated Indecent Assault, Sexual Intercourse without consent and Aggravated Sexual Assault.”