BishopAccountability.org
	Former Priest on Sex Charges Western Advocate July 22, 2008 http://bathurst.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/former-priest-on-sex-charges/1173574.aspx A FORMER teaching priest appeared before Bathurst Local Court yesterday facing 33 charges of sexual assault on five students, dating back to the 1980s. Former St Stanislaus' College teacher Brian Joseph Spillane has not entered pleas on any of the 33 charges. Red-haired and bespectacled, Spillane – from the Sydney suburb of Riverwood – wore a dark suit with a tartan pattern scarf and sat quietly behind Sydney lawyer Greg Walsh in Bathurst Local Court. Magistrate Thomas Hodgson conducted yesterday's hearing in open court and ordered nothing be published that might identify the alleged victims. The charges against Spillane include six allegations of homosexual sexual intercourse as a teacher at the college with pupils aged 11, 12 and 13. The former priest is facing 18 counts alleging he engaged in acts of gross indecency with the pupils he allegedly solicited and incited to commit gross acts of indecency. Other allegations against Spillane relate to male to male sexual intercourse with persons from 10 years to 16-years-of-age under authority. Mr Walsh told Mr Hodgson nothing of a criminal nature had been known about Spillane before he'd been charged and first appeared in a Sydney court. The lawyer requested continuing bail until the Director of Public Prosecutions serves the complete brief of evidence against his client. Mr Walsh said the brief had in part been served but a significant amount of documented evidence had still to be made available. Both Mr Walsh and DPP managing lawyer Ron England sought adjournments of between four and six weeks. "He's a former priest, now 50 years of age and married," Mr Walsh said, addressing Mr Hodgson on the question of continuing bail. Mr Hodgson allowed Spillane the same bail conditions imposed in the Sydney court: that a suitable person deposit $10,000 in cash, Spillane surrender his passport and not approach any alleged victims.
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