Former Priest Charged over Alleged Child Sex Assault of Boy, Nine, in Bathurst

By Erin Lyons
NCA NewsWire via Townsville Bulletin
February 19, 2021

https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/breaking-news/former-priest-charged-over-alleged-child-sex-assault-of-boy-nine-in-bathurst/news-story/2a80edb2570c2751f76adb5ae2f4954b

A former priest has been arrested and charged, accused of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old boy at a high school in regional NSW.

In 2008 detectives started investigating reports of alleged sexual and indecent assaults of students at two high schools in Bathurst, between 1960 and 1993, under Strike Force Belle.

Last year strike force officers received a report relating to the alleged sexual assault of a nine-year-old boy in the mid 80s.

Following investigations an 85-year-old man was arrested at a home in Randwick on Thursday.

The 85-year-old former priest will front court on Friday. Picture: NSW Police

He was taken to Maroubra Police Station and charged with two counts of sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 10 years and three counts of sexual intercourse with a person 10 and under 16 under authority.

The elderly man was refused bail and will appear at Waverley Court on Friday.

NSW Police said he is the 14th priest or former priest to be charged by Strike Force Belle.

Anyone with information is urged to come forward.