NSW Police Force – Media Release

Sex Crimes Squad detectives have arrested a former Catholic Brother for alleged historical sexual offences against two children at a western Sydney school.

Strike Force Avia was established in October 2011 to investigate alleged assaults upon a number of children on school grounds at a Catholic college at Blacktown and a Catholic primary school at Lalor Park in the 1980s.

Three men – two teachers and a former Catholic Brother – have previously been arrested and charged by Strike Force Avia detectives.

About 11.30am yesterday (Wednesday, 18 December 2013) a fourth man, a former Catholic Brother, was arrested at Penrith Railway Station and taken to Penrith Police Station.

The 58-year-old Lithgow man was charged with 20 offences in total, comprising two counts of buggery, 13 counts of indecent assault on male, and five counts of indecent act with male, relating to offences against two boys aged between nine and 11.

The incidents are alleged to have occurred between January 1980 and May 1981 when the former Brother worked at the Catholic college in Blacktown.

He was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today (Thursday, 19 December 2013).

Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing and Strike Force Avia detectives continue to appeal for anyone with information to assist them to come forward.

In particular, they believe a person residing in Tasmania could have information integral to their ongoing inquiries and are urging them to contact police.

State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of experienced detectives dedicated to investigating crimes of a sexual nature, regardless of the passage of time.

Any person who has been a victim of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the incident occurred, is encouraged to make a report at their local police station.

Anyone with information about sexual abuse should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/. Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Issued by NSW Police Force Media Unit – www.police.nsw.gov.au