Catholic priest John Patrick Casey faces trial on charges of historical sex crimes against children

A Catholic priest has appeared in Lismore District Court accused of child sex abuse.

Warning: This story contains graphic details of sexual assault.

John Patrick Casey has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault of a person under 16 years of age.

The charges relate to an alleged incident that occurred in 1982 at Casey’s father’s home in Mullangany in northern NSW.

Father Casey was parish priest of Mullangany from 1981 to 1988.

In her opening address, the crown prosecutor told the jury of seven women and five men that the case against the 76-year-old man would rest on photographs and church records, but mainly on the evidence of the complainant and the complainant’s friend, who was also a teenager at the time .

She told the court Casey’s father took the boys out on day trips, weekends and sleepovers at his home, often allowing them to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.

It is alleged that on one such occasion Casey’s father offered the complainant roast lamb chops for dinner, gave him alcohol and lit a fire before massaging his shoulders.

It is alleged that the priest then performed an indecent massage on the 14-year-old complainant, penetrating the boy’s anus with his finger.

The court heard the complainant was afraid to stay overnight at the rectory and never returned.

He never told his friend about what allegedly happened to him, and did not contact the police about it until he was 52 years old.

Defense lawyer Jason Watts told jurors his client denies any indecent acts.

Mr Watts told the jury he would argue that the complainant and his friend were unreliable witnesses.

He said jurors would need to consider “the credibility of what someone is saying now about what happened to them as a teenager.”

The court was adjourned this afternoon as the complainant gave his evidence and Casey’s father sat in the dock in the same courtroom.

The case will be considered until Friday.