Laurie Maher: Ex Gosford mayor fights child sexual abuse charges
The former mayor of Gosford and chief executive of Coast Shelter will fight more than a dozen child sex abuse charges, dating back to his time at a Central Coast centre for boys in the 1970s and ’80s.
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Former Gosford mayor Laurie Maher will stand trial on a string of alleged historic child sexual abuse charges during his time at a Central Coast juvenile justice centre.
Laurence ‘Laurie’ Joseph Maher, 82, will fight 13 sexual abuse charges relating to six boys during the 1970s and ’80s after formally pleading not guilty at Penrith Local Court on Friday.
Police allege Mr Maher sexually abused the boys during his time as a superintendent at the Mt Penang Training School, a former juvenile justice centre for boys near Gosford, between May 1977 and December 1988.
Mr Maher and his solicitor dialled into court via telephone for committal proceedings, where it was heard the case would proceed to trial in the Sydney District Court at a later date.
He will be formally arraigned at this court in November when a trial date is expected to be set.
Mr Maher, who served as Gosford mayor from 2007-2012, pleaded not guilty to four counts of buggery, three counts of indecent assault and six counts of sexual assault.
Police allege Mr Maher committed two acts of buggery with a boy in 1977 and indecently assaulted another male and committed an act of buggery on him between 1979 and 1980.
It’s further alleged he indecently assaulted a third boy on two occasions in 1981 before he allegedly sexually assaulted a fourth boy twice the following year.
Police allege Mr Maher also committed an act of buggery on this same boy in 1982.
Court documents showed he is also alleged to have sexually assaulted a boy at the facility on three occasions between 1985 and 1986 before he allegedly sexually assaulted another male in 1988.
Mr Maher faced court in August for the first time in person since the charges were laid in April.
He is the ninth person to be charged as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged historical child sexual abuse, resulting from the recent Royal Commission.
He served as the chief executive of charitable organisation Coast Shelter for 25 years and in 2010 he was awarded with an Order of Australia for his service to the community.
Mr Maher will face Sydney District Court on November 27.