Priest in court on sex charges

Sky News
October 20, 2014

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/local/melbourne/2014/10/20/priest-in-court-on-sex-charges.html

An elderly Catholic priest has appeared in court accused of child sex offences dating from 40 years ago.

Roger Melville Mount, 72, who has been living in Papua New Guinea but was recently extradited from Queensland, faced 62 charges in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.

He faces 40 counts of indecent assault, 14 of buggery, five of gross indecency and three of unlawful assault.

In charge sheets lodged with the court, police allege he sexually abused seven boys at Greensborough and Mount Eliza between 1968 and 1974.

Mount was arrested in Cairns on Friday and brought to Victoria after an investigation by the Sano task force investigating allegations arising from the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse.

His lawyer Jacqui Hession told the court a bail application would likely be made soon.

She said her client suffered from asthma, chronic heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and macular degeneration.

Magistrate Kay Robertson remanded Mount in custody to reappear on January 16.