Activists protesting sexual abuse in the Catholic church, seen here in mid July, demonstrate outside St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney. A former Catholic priest has been charged with 60 fresh offences relating to sex assaults on boys while working at a prestigious boarding school in the 1970s and 80s. (AFP/File/William West)
SYDNEY (AFP) – A former Catholic priest has been charged with 60 fresh offences relating to sex assaults on boys while he was working at a prestigious boarding school in the 1970s and 80s, reports said Wednesday.
Police would not confirm the identity of the man, saying only that they had arrested a 65-year-old on Tuesday in southwestern Sydney and that he has since been released on bail.
“He was taken to Hurstville police station where he was charged with 60 matters relating to historic sexual assault,” a New South Wales police spokeswoman told AFP.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the suspect was a former Catholic priest who taught at St Stanislaus’ College in Bathurst, west of Sydney, in the 1970s and 80s.
The college made headlines last month after former students came forward alleging they were molested during late-night prayer sessions.
The former priest has already appeared in Bathurst Local Court in August on 33 other charges relating to sexual assault and gross acts of indecency on juveniles aged between 10 and 18.
Reports said his court appearance prompted eight more alleged victims to make further allegations against the former cleric.
The man’s lawyer, Greg Walsh, said his client had emphatically denied the allegations and he was concerned that the latest complaints had emerged only “as a result of gross contamination” in the media.
“The real concern here is whether someone such as my client can obtain a fair trial in these circumstances,” he told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.
Police have said that no current teachers at St Stanislaus’ are under suspicion but have refused to reveal whether other former staff were involved in the alleged abuse.
College principal John Edwards has said that police had previously served him with a search warrant which listed the names of three former staff members.
In July, Pope Benedict XVI publicly expressed his “shame” over the “evils” of clerical child abuse during a visit to Australia, saying he was “deeply sorry” for the abuse of children by predatory priests.
3 responses so far ↓
Still on the Catholic Kick (albeit considerably more repulsive) « Lubbock Freethinkers // September 23, 2008 at 10:53 am
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Wally // September 23, 2008 at 8:14 pm
millions of kids all over the world are being severely abused, but the only time you fatass hypocrites sit up and take notice is when a priest is involved. just shut up. you’re only looking for senationalism.
pjwalker911 // September 23, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Maybe you are right. We should keep it quiet about the priests who bugger little boys up the rear.
Who the hell are you talking about? We already get a daily dose of coverage on child abuse by ordinary people from the mainstream media. This site fills in the gaps, exposing the crimes of the elite which includes elite pedophile rings around the world. That includes royalty, politicians, judges, UN bureaucrats and employees of the Vatican. Are we supposed to remain silent about them?
Click on Elite Pedophile Rings category to see where I am coming from.