By Les Kennedy
Brisbane Times
August 14, 2008
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/sex-charge-priest-restricted/2008/08/14/1218307104410.html
A priest charged today with 30 sex offences has been working in a Catholic library opposite a school, having been placed on restricted duties by the church in 2001 following a conviction for a child sex offence.
Sidney Denham, 65, faced a Sydney court this afternoon after being charged by police with offences against18 boys in the Hunter Region.
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| Denham arrives at court today. Photo by Kate Geraghty |
Police from Strike Force Georgiana, set up to investigate a complaint received by Lake Macquarie police in April, arrested Denham at the Catholic library opposite the school in Kensington this morning.
Sydney's Central Local Court heard this afternoon that Denham was placed on restricted duties by the Catholic Church in 2001 following his conviction for a child sex offence.
Police told the court today that Denham was working opposite the Missionary of the Sacred Heart as a librarian in the Chevallier Resources Centre, and that he was a risk to the community.
According to a police fact sheet, police allege: "The accused is a risk to the community due to evidence of offending in all areas he was attached to in NSW.
"He has restrictions placed upon him, concerning pastoral duties involving children due to a previous conviction,'' police alleged.
"The accused is working in a Catholic library situated opposite the local Catholic school.''
Police also alleged that most of the offences occurred between 1972 and 1994.
Denham gave two Sydney residential addresses, one at Ashfield and the other in Surry Hills, was still attached to the Newcastle diocese.
Police also tendered a timeline of his movements within the priesthood.
They said he arrived in the Newcastle diocese at the age of 29 in 1972 and served as deacon in the Mayfield Parish.
In 1973 he was appointed to the Singleton parish, where he served until his appointment as a year seven teacher at St Pius the 10th high school in Adamstown.
Police said he lived in the priest quarters at the school and taught there until 1980, when moved to the Charlestown parish.
In 1981 he was transferred to the Taree parish and served there for five years, until appointed a teacher at Waverley College, where he taught until 1994.
"The following allegations outline 18 victims of various child sex offences,'' police said in their statement to the court. "These offences occurred at St Pius X High School, the Charlestown Parish and Taree Parish.
"Police will also be reliant upon evidence of similar facts pertaining offences committed at Waverley College by a further complainant.''
The court heard that the victims came from devout Catholic families and some of them had been altar boys.
Of the 30 charges, one is for a count of buggery, 28 for indecent assault on a male and one of attempted indecent assault.
Denham refused to come up from his cell during the hearing.
Magistrate Allan Moore formally refused Denham bail and he was ordered to appear in Newcastle Local Court on October 1.
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