Marks Point man charged with abusing seven boys and girls in Lake Macquarie and north-west NSW

Detectives allege the 64-year-old abused boys and girls over a 27-year period from 1993.

A Lake Macquarie man has been charged with dozens of sexual abuse offences relating to seven children which police allege were committed over nearly three decades.

The 64-year-old, who can not be identified for legal reasons, was arrested by Strike Force Friar detectives after a nine-month investigation into claims the young boys and girls were abused in eastern Lake Macquarie and north-west NSW between 1993 and 2020.

The man, of Marks Point, was taken to Belmont police station and charged with 26 offences, including 13 counts of indecent assault with victim under the age of 10; three counts of sexual intercourse with person under the age of 10; three counts of aggravated indecent assault – victim under the age of 16; two counts of commit an act of indecency with person under 16 years; two counts of carry out sexual act with another without consent; and one count each of indecent assault person under 16 years of age, commit act of indecency with person under 10 years, and sexually touch another person without consent.

Strike Force Friar was comprised of Lake Macquarie detectives with the assistance of the State Crime Command’s child abuse and sex crimes squad.

“Police will allege in court that the man sexually abused seven children – who were known to him – in the Lake Macquarie and Narrabri areas between 1993 and 2020,” police said in a statement.

The man briefly faced Belmont Local Court on Monday, where he was refused bail to reappear on February 16.