Sri Lankan monk found guilty of sex offences against six girls in Australia

A senior Buddhist monk has been found guilty of historical sex offences against six girls at a Melbourne temple, Australian media reported today.

Warning: This story contains details of alleged sexual assault.

A County Court jury on Thursday ruled Naotunne Vijitha Thero, the head monk at the Dhamma Sarana temple in Keysborough, committed the offences between 1994 and 2002.

The 70-year-old monk was found guilty of eight charges of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and nine charges of committing an indecent act with a child under 16.

The monk was cleared of one indecent act charge. The jury is continuing to deliberate on another charge of indecent act with a child.

The spiritual leader, dressed in orange robes, rested his head in his hands and showed no reaction as the verdicts were delivered on Thursday afternoon.

Members of the temple who attended each day of the trial to support the monk wept in the courtroom after the jury left the room.

Under Victorian law, the monk could be jailed for more than a decade for the crimes.

Victims allege monk lured them to living quarters with sweets

Six women, who are now in their 30s, came forward to testify against the monk at the trial.

Prosecutors alleged Vijitha abused his position of authority and took advantage of the young girls.

Some victims claimed they were digitally penetrated by the monk or that he used a ruler and an eraser to violate them. Others said he inappropriately touched them or put their hand on his penis.

Vijitha was alleged to have used sweets to lure the young victims into his living quarters at the temple in its former Springvale premises and current Keysborough site.

The monk was charged in 2023 after several victims came forward to police.

The court heard that in the preceding years, some victims disclosed details about being abused by Vijitha to friends and family members.

At the trial, Vijitha’s barrister Nicholas Papas KC urged the jury to find his client not guilty.

Mr Papas said Vijitha denied the allegations, and in some cases, did not even remember the girls who had accused him of sexual assault.

“He can’t remember the events, because in his mind, they didn’t happen,” Mr Papas said.

The defence barrister queried the accuracy of the complainants’ evidence and whether it was physically possible for Vijitha to commit some of the alleged offences.

Once the final verdict has been delivered, prosecution and defence lawyers will make submissions to the County Court about the penalty the ageing monk should serve.

Source: ABC

--Agencies