AUSTRALIA
The Mercury
By GAVIN LOWER
Law Reporter
21feb06
A PRIEST used boys under his care for his own comfort and sexual gratification, a court was told yesterday.
Roger Michael Bellemore, 69, was a priest and teacher at Marist College in Burnie when he is alleged to have sexually assaulted four boys more than 30 years ago.
He has pleaded not guilty to four charges of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person under the age of 17.
Crown prosecutor Michael Stoddart told a jury of eight women and four men in the Supreme Court in Hobart yesterday that Mr Bellemore was a popular figure at Marist College.