A former Catholic priest, Raymond Hevern, 82, has been charged with more than a dozen historical child sexual abuse offences in Western Australia. He appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Monday after being arrested by detectives from the Sex Assault Squad.
Police allege Hevern sexually and physically abused a young girl who attended a mission in regional Western Australia between 1986 and 1987. The girl was reportedly nine years old at the time of the first offence.
The charges stem from a report made to the National Redress Scheme about abuse against children in state care. Hevern faces 14 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 14, two counts of threatening to injure or cause detriment, two counts of unlawful assault, and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
Hevern's lawyer, Jesse Cox, acknowledged the charges were serious. Hevern spoke in court to confirm he understood the charges but was not required to enter a plea. He was granted bail and is due to appear in court again in September.
