Head monk allegedly abused children as young as four, court hears

A caput monk allegedly sexually abused six young children wrong his surviving quarters, a Buddhist temple dream room and astatine Sunday school, a assemblage has been told.

The youngest girls were aged four, and 1 claims she was abused 4 times crossed 2 Dhamma Sarana Buddhist temple sites successful Melbourne until she was aged 11 aliases 12.

Venerable Naotunne Vijitha, now 70, faced nan first time of a assemblage proceedings astatine Victoria's County Court today, dressed successful orangish and reddish robes, and wearing sandals and a reddish beanie.

Vijitha is charged pinch 19 kid activity maltreatment offences involving six alleged victims opening aft he relocated to return up a station arsenic caput of nan Dhamma Sarana temple astatine Springvale successful 1994.

The alleged offending continued aft nan temple was relocated to Keysborough successful nan early 2000s, prosecutors told nan jury.

Vijitha, who is connected bail, has pleaded not blameworthy and denies each offending.

The main monk sat astatine nan backmost of nan tribunal arsenic Judge Pardeep Tiwana informed 14 jurors that Vijitha's fasting rituals must beryllium accommodated during nan trial.

He was supported successful tribunal by a 2nd monk successful robes and six others.

Prosecutor Fiona Martin said Vijitha was accused of 9 charges of intersexual penetration pinch a woman aged nether 16 astatine nan time, and 10 counts of indecent enactment pinch a woman nether 16.

"Within nan temple, he was referred to arsenic the... 'main Sadhu' and taught Sunday schoolhouse classes and held those successful his surviving quarters," she said.

All six alleged victims attended nan temple pinch their families astatine different times betwixt 1994 and 2002, immoderate for typical celebrations aliases ceremonies to mourn loved ones, she said.

Others attended nan temple regularly arsenic their families were very religious, Martin said.

A woman who migrated from Sri Lanka to Australia pinch her family was from a "very religious" family and her mother would make nutrient for nan monks, she said.

She attended regular Sunday schoolhouse classes taught by Vijitha and alleged she was sexually abused 5 times betwixt nan ages of 9 and 11 wrong his room astatine nan Springvale temple.

This included giving nan woman her first buss aft allegedly sexually penetrating her, Martin said.

Another woman alleged Vijitha called her to his room erstwhile she was astatine nan temple pinch her parents and held onto her arsenic she tried to get away, earlier telling her "not to show anyone", nan tribunal heard.

A woman claimed Vijitha pulled her into nan main dream area erstwhile she was 4 and allegedly placed his hands crossed her crotch earlier saying "you're not angry are you?" successful Sinhalese to her.

Another alleged unfortunate claimed he sexually abused her successful his chamber aft she attended for a ceremonial connected nan day of her grandmother's death.

Vijitha took nan woman to his surviving quarters to show her a exemplary of nan temple and springiness her a belief book, and past allegedly touched her inappropriately, Martin said.

One of nan girls reported nan alleged maltreatment to a schoolhouse counsellor successful 2005, claiming she had been touched by a monk astatine her Sunday school.

Martin said nan counsellor reported it to police, nevertheless nan woman did not wish for it to beryllium investigated astatine nan clip and she did not prosecute nan allegations until 2022.

Another alleged unfortunate contacted Crime Stoppers successful 2021.

Vijitha's barrister Nick Papas KC asked nan assemblage to group speech emotion during nan proceedings and retrieve nan allegations were from 25 aliases 30 years ago, truthful they must mobility their reliability and accuracy.

"Some of nan events are truthful improbable arsenic to agelong immoderate grounds of credulity," he said.

"He says he's not guilty, he denies nan charges, there's nary mediate crushed here, nan Crown has to beryllium its lawsuit beyond reasonable doubt."

Support is disposable by calling 1800 RESPECT connected 1800 737 732 aliases National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service connected 1800 211 028.