Peter William Dwyer, 68, an Order of Australia recipient, is standing trial in the NSW District Court on 10 charges relating to students who attended St Stanislaus’ College between 1977 and 1992.

Some of the attacks were against a boy who complained of being homesick and another who had been sent to Dwyer’s room after he was caught drinking alcohol, the court heard.

Crown Prosecutor Lou Lungo said in his opening address on Thursday the Crown “seeks to prove that the accused had a tendency to have a sexual interest in young male students”.

The former Vincentian Brother, who went on to become president of the college, used his position of authority to gain access to his victims so he could engage in sexual activity with them, Mr Lungo said.

During one of the alleged incidents, Dwyer embraced a 15-year-old who had been caught drinking and asked him “What would your mother think?” before fondling and masturbating the boy, the court was told.

Dwyer then suggested they engage in an inappropriate sex act and said another student had earlier allowed the same thing and he “wasn’t getting expelled”, the court heard.

The boy then allowed Dwyer to perform the act because he feared being expelled, jurors were told.

Dwyer allegedly forgave the boy for drinking and said “what had happened remained their secret”, and if he told anyone he would be expelled.

The former headmaster is also accused of another inappropriate act with a 12-year-old boy while he was lying on the bed in a “spoon” position after finding him on a stairwell feeling homesick.

Dwyer allegedly earlier had told the boy he was available if he ever needed to talk about his feelings.

In another alleged incident, a student was making Rosary beads in Dwyer’s room soon after receiving the cane and Dwyer asked if his backside was hurting.

He then pulled down the complainant’s pyjamas to rub cream on his genitalia region, the court was told.

Dwyer has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include indecent assault and having sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.

His barrister, Stephen Hanley, said jurors would hear evidence, including from a former student, that his client was a person of good character who had been awarded an Order of Australia medal for his work in bringing the school “into the 21st Century”.

Mr Hanley also said there were no witnesses to the alleged acts and the evidence could not be corroborated.

The trial, before Judge Deborah Sweeney continued yesterday.