Tony Caruana: Chevalier College priest on historic child sex charges

A priest accused of sexually preying on a dozen boys in the mid 1980s allegedly dreamt of fondling young boys, a court has heard. The man denies all charges.

A Catholic priest accused of sexually preying on a dozen boys at a Southern Highlands college during the mid-1980s once told a victim “you are pleasing a man of god”, a court has heard.

Father Anthony ‘Tony’ Caruana, aged in his late 70s, is standing trial on 28 historic child sex offences on a dozen boys who attended Chevalier College, near Bowral, run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts.

The priest, who was employed at the college between 1982 and 1989 and performed the roles of dormitory master, religion teacher, rugby coach and bandmaster, denies all charges.

The crown prosecutor, in the opening address to the jury, said the trial is expected to see evidence of a handwritten questionnaire completed by Caruana in 1989 which documents his “sexual problem”, his fear of being “found out” and his recurring dream of fondling young boys.

Anthony Caruana arrives at the Downing Centre, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

He said the trial is also expected to hear evidence Caruana fondled a boy’s penis when they swam alone in a pool during a school swimming carnival at Mittagong.

Two of the alleged victims are expected to tell the jury they were sexually assaulted on separate occasions by Caruana as their rugby coach, with one of the boys expected to allege the priest grabbed his penis when teaching how to bind a scrum.

The jury was told the trial would hear evidence of how the priest would indecently assault the victims inside his office, under the guise of providing medical treatment for rashes or sporting injuries.

Another victim, who was allegedly sexually attacked by Caruana after band practice a number of times, is expected to tell the jury the priest said to him during the alleged assaults “I know you have been thinking about pleasing god” and “god will love you if you do what I say”.

The jury was told of a second church document from the early 1990s, alleged to include a file note from the-then provincial leader of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts order stating “Tony (Caruana) acknowledges he is a paedophile”.

Anthony Caruana pictured at a previous court appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Defence barrister Bernard Brassil told the jury of the importance of providing a fair trial and asked them to use their life experience.

“We all know the sounds liars make when they give untruthful stories,” he said.

The trial, before Judge Robyn Tupman, continues.