Raymond Hevern: Priest facing historical sex abuse charges alleged to have occurred at mission in the 80s

A Catholic priest has been charged with a long list of historical child sex abuse charges stemming from allegations he sexually and physically assaulted a young girl at a Mid West mission in the mid-1980s. Raymond E W Hevern was charged by detectives from the Sex Assault Squad with 20 historical offences. The 82-year-old made his first court appearance on the charges at Perth Magistrates Court on Monday. He was represented by lawyer Jesse Cox and was supported in the court room by a man and a woman. A somewhat frail looking Mr Hevern, who walked in and out of court with the aid of a walking stick, simply replied “Correct” to confirm his name and “Yes” when Magistrate Joe Randazzo asked him if he understood the 20 charges. Two detectives — believed to be from the sex assault squad — listened in on the proceedings. Mr Cox acknowledged that his client was facing “serious charges” and asked for the matter to be adjourned. Mr Hevern did not enter a plea and his bail was renewed until he appears in court again on September 24. He made no comment to reporters as he left court, before being driven away in a black Land Rover. Outside court, Mr Cox would only say that Mr Hevern was “not going to be making any comment this morning”. The investigation into Mr Hevern was launched after a report was made to the National Redress Scheme — a unit that investigates allegations of abuse against children while in State care. It is alleged that between 1986 and 1987, Mr Hevern — who was a Catholic Priest at the mission — sexually and physically assaulted a young girl who attended a mission in Tardun, east of Geraldton. Police claim the victim was aged as young as nine at the time of the first offence. Mr Hevern has been charged with 14 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 14, two counts of threatening to injure or cause detriment to prevent/hinder/compel person doing act, two counts of unlawful assault and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. If you are a victim of sexual abuse, or if you have information about someone being sexually abused, please contact police on 131 444 or report the information via the Safe2Say online reporting platform