(AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC [Sydney, Australia]
July 15, 2024
By Tabarak Al Jrood
A former Catholic priest charged with more than a dozen historical child sexual offences has been granted bail after appearing in a Perth court.
It’s alleged Raymond Hevern, 82, sexually and physically abused a young girl who attended a mission in regional Western Australia between 1986 and 1987.
Police said it would be alleged the girl was nine years-old at the time of the first offence.
Detectives from the Sex Assault Squad arrested Mr Hevern following an investigation into a report made to the National Redress Scheme about abuse against children in state care.
The Rossmoyne man on Monday appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court charged with 14 counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 14.
He has also been charged with two counts of threatening to injure or cause detriment to a person, two counts of unlawful assault and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
Mr Hevern’s lawyer Jesse Cox acknowledged in court they were “serious charges.”
Mr Hevern spoke to confirm he understood the charges against him, and he was not required to enter a plea.
His bail was granted bail and is due to appear in court again in September.
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