Priest Faces Fresh Charges

By Joanne McCarthy
Newcastle Herald
January 23, 2013

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1255008/priest-faces-fresh-charges/?cs=391

Defrocked priest John Denham, accused of historic assaults on 14 boys.

A DEFROCKED Catholic priest who was jailed in 2010 for child sex offences against 39 boys allegedly sexually assaulted another 14 boys in the 1970s and 1980s, police alleged   yesterday in a facts sheet in Newcastle Local Court.

Former Maitland-Newcastle priest John Sidney Denham, 70, allegedly told one victim in 1977, ‘‘You loved it. You wanted it. You want more and more’’, after a sexual assault that left the boy, 12, ‘‘bleeding heavily’’, police alleged.

The boy did not complain to his parents about alleged repeated sexual assaults at St Pius X School, Adamstown, because he came from a violent home where alcohol was abused.

When the boy allegedly told principal Father Tom Brennan, who died late last year, he was caned.

Denham did not enter pleas yesterday before he was committed to Newcastle District Court on 41 child sex charges.

In the statement,  Strikeforce Georgiana Detective Sergeant Kristi Faber alleged 12 men had contacted police after  Denham pleaded guilty in 2010 to child sexual assaults against 39 boys in the Hunter.

‘‘The accused was subsequently charged with 37 child sex offences relating to these 12 complainants and these matters are currently before the court,’’ Detective Sergeant Faber alleged.

Police laid further charges after a man attempted suicide on church grounds in October2011 and police were called.

The man had suffered depression and related issues for years, the court was told.

Another man contacted police in February 2012 alleging he had been sexually assaulted by  Denham while a student at St Pius in the late 1970s, Detective Sergeant Faber alleged.

 Denham was charged with four further child sex offences after the man had made a statement.

The matter was adjourned to Newcastle District Court later this month.