Crown plans to bring ex-Dominic College priest David Edwin Rapson back to Tasmania to face historic sex charges

The Supreme Court of Tasmania heard in January this year a former Dominic College priest would be transported from a Victorian prison to face historic indecent assault allegations, but no progress has been made to date. DETAILS >>>

• Former Dominic College priest to face historic sex allegations
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The Supreme Court of Tasmania heard in January this year a former Dominic College priest would be transported from a Victorian prison to face historic indecent assault allegations, but no progress has been made to date. DETAILS >>>

LATEST, NOVEMBER 23:

NO progress has been made in having a former Dominic College teacher and ex-Catholic priest extradited from Victoria to face a number of historic indecent assault allegations, a court has heard.

Former Salesian order priest David Edwin Rapson, who taught at the Glenorchy school during the 1980s, has been charged with six counts of indecent assault.

In January this year, the 67-year-old was due to face the Supreme Court of Tasmania for a directions hearing, but the court heard he was serving a “long sentence” in a Victorian prison for other matters.

Defence barrister Kim Baumeler said at the time the allegations were historic and dated back to “when he was a minister at a school”.The court was told material from Tasmania Police was “voluminous”.

Last month, the court heard Rapson was “certainly aware of the charges” and that the crown would apply for his transfer to Tasmania.

Justice Robert Pearce heard endeavours to have Rapson appear via video link from Victoria were proving “difficult.”

On Monday morning, in the Supreme Court in Hobart before Justice Robert Pearce, the crown prosecutor said endeavours had been made to try have Rapson appear via video link, but that had proven difficult because the Victorian prison he was being held in would not facilitate it without a warrant.

The prosecutor said the papers had been filed and now it was just a matter of either getting Rapson transferred from Victoria to for him to appear via video link.

Rapson has never appeared in any Tasmanian court on these matters to date.

Ms Baumeler said the matter was heading towards being a trial, although some matters would resolve while others were still in dispute.

The prosecutor asked for the matter to be adjourned until next year as “I do not think it is going to resolve in the next two weeks.”

The matter was adjourned until February 1, 2021.

INITIAL, OCTOBER 28: Former Salesian order priest David Edwin Rapson, who taught at the Glenorchy school during the 1980s, is currently serving a “long sentence” in a Victorian prison for other matters.

He still hasn’t made an appearance in the Supreme Court of Tasmania over six counts of indecent assault, with COVID-19 restrictions compounding difficulties.

Mr Rapson’s matter was listed for a directions hearing on Monday before Acting Justice David Porter, who said a video appearance should be arranged from the Victorian jail.

The court heard Mr Rapson, 67, was “certainly aware of the charges” and that the Crown would apply for his transfer to Tasmania.

His matter will return to court on November 23.

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