Retired Priest Charged with Child Abuse

Harborough Mail
December 18, 2012

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/12/18/15/00/retired-priest-charged-with-child-abuse

A retired priest has been charged with sexually abusing two students in the 1960s and 70s in the NSW Hunter region

Two former students of a local Marist college went to a police station on November 21 and December 3 this year.

They made sexual assault allegations against a teacher who is now retired, police say.

The 80-year-old man was served court attendance notices at his home at Cook, in the ACT, this month.

He has been charged with three counts of indecent assault allegedly committed against two victims whilst at school in the 1960s and 70s.

He was granted bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court on January 29.

Police say further charges are anticipated and encourage victims of any indecent or sexual assault, no matter how long ago, to come forward.

Last month Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox claimed that police and the church in the Hunter area had hindered investigations into abuse allegations.

His claims prompted the NSW government to announce a special commission of inquiry into child sex abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in the Hunter.

It also sparked national royal commission into child sex abuse.