A FORMER Orange priest has been charged with a string of alleged historic sex offences.
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The man was arrested at Wyong on Tuesday and was refused bail before appearing before Magistrate Barnett in Wyong Local Court on Wednesday.
The former priest was granted strict conditional bail including a requirement to report twice a week to police, surrender his passport and to not be in the company of any person under the age of 16 years.
The former priest cannot be named at this time after the court imposed a non-publication order on the “names of persons mentioned in substance of charges or any material likely to identify them”.
Police allege the accused was attached to the Bathurst diocese in the 1970s and 1980s when the alleged offences occurred.
In total, the man has been charged with 29 historic sex offences involving a number of victims.
The charges include 19 counts of indecent assault on a male, five counts of buggery and five counts of assaulting a male and committing an act of indecency.
The man was bailed to appear before Orange Local Court on December 17 with Magistrate Barnett ordering the brief to be served by the same date. The defendant is excused from appearing if legally represented.
