Councilor abused teenager after court referral, jury told

A counselor may have sexually abused troubled teenagers referred to his clinic by courts and state authorities after police failed to investigate an earlier complaint, a jury has heard.

The therapist, who cannot be legally identified, is accused of assaulting 13 vulnerable teenagers in Sydney and rural New South Wales from 1977 to 1986.

He allegedly sexually touched or raped teenagers in a youth center for troubled boys, as well as in a school and in his private practice.

Police and a local bishop did not believe two of the alleged victims when they came forward to make complaints, Sydney's Downing Center District Court was previously told.

The trial continued Tuesday, when jurors learned that two teenagers were referred to him by the court and state officials before they were allegedly abused.

Crown prosecutor David Patch said a nine-year-old boy was referred to the counselor in the 1980s after his mother contacted NSW department officials.

The boy was allegedly sexually touched and masturbated by the man.

On one occasion, the teen also believed the counselor was masturbating behind him while he faced a wall in the clinic, Mr. Patch said.

Although the alleged victim went to police and made a statement in 1990, that document had disappeared and no one knew where it had gone, the jury was told.

Another alleged victim, who now identifies as a woman, was referred to the therapist as a teenager after being charged and appearing before a magistrate in juvenile court.

Mr Patch said the counselor used his authority to force the teenager into sexual activity.

“You need a good report for the courts; relax, everything is fine,” he allegedly told the teenager.

On one occasion he sucked the teenager's genitals, to which she said “stop, stop” as the alleged assault continued, the jury heard.

After that, the advisor tried to exert his influence again, the prosecutor said.

“If you tell your mother, she won’t believe you,” the counselor reportedly said.

The teen and the therapist then had consensual sex, but on one occasion he was too aggressive, Mr Patch said.

She had to buy new clothes because her pants were full of faeces and blood, the court heard.

She buried the underwear she was wearing at the time under her house in a plastic bag, recovered by police in 2014.

The therapist, now 70, has pleaded not guilty to 42 charges, including indecent assault, sexual assault and sexual intercourse without consent.

Other allegations against him include that he fondled the genitals of two brothers after they appeared in his private practice.

Another boy was called into the man's office at school, where he was allegedly raped despite the noise caused by the pain, the jury heard.

“The accused covered his mouth with his hands, causing (the boy) to have difficulty breathing,” Mr Patch said.

Jurors previously heard that the therapist treated his alleged victims through “relaxation” techniques that involved the teens undressing and being touched.

In the 1990s the man moved across the highway, where he again worked with vulnerable teenagers.

He was charged and pleaded guilty to one count of performing an indecent act for inappropriately massaging and touching a boy in a hotel room, the court was told.

The man's lawyer, Roland Keller, did not present his preliminary findings.

The trial before Judge Penelope Hock continues.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redressal Service 1800 211 028