Former Priest Granted Bail

Sky News
November 7, 2012

http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=813971


A former Catholic priest, charged with 25 child sex offences against three young girls has been granted bail.

The 59-year-old has appeared in Armidale Local Court via audio visual link from Silverwater Correctional Centre in Sydney and was granted bail, but ordered to forfeit 230-thousand dollars if he fails to comply with the lengthy conditions imposed on him.

The court also ordered he deposit 10-thousand dollars as surety and also ordered two acceptable people each deposit five-thousand dollars surety on his behalf.

Among the condition is that he is not associate with any child under the age of 16, not approach any school property and not contact or incite anyone else to contact any of the complainants or crown witnesses.

Police charged him in October with repeatedly molesting three girls between 1979 and 1988.

The alleged victims were as young as five, and 17 of the 25 charges include sexual assault.