A former priest facing a slew of new child abuse material charges and allegations he tried procuring underage children for sex is expected to plead within weeks.
Guy Norman Hartcher, 78, was arrested just before Christmas after a police sting allegedly caught him trying to obtain sex from a police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy and sending him indecent material.
Sex crimes squad detectives handcuffed the former Vincentian priest outside a South Asian minimart in Pendle Hill in western Sydney before taking him to Granville police station where he was charged.
He was initially charged with transmitting child abuse material and trying to procure sexual activity from a child under 16.
The Ashfield man has since been hit with further allegations and is facing 14 child sexual abuse charges in total.
His lawyer Greg Walsh informed the Burwood Local Court last week that negotiations with prosecutors had not wrapped up due to the new charges.
The case would be ready to proceed to a plea at the next court mention on December 10, he told magistrate Robyn Denes.
Hartcher did not attend court but remains out on bail.
According to court documents, the former priest sent indecent material to a police officer posing as a 14-year-old in the week before Christmas 2024.
He allegedly tried to procure sexual activity twice from a fictitious 14 year old and once from a fictitious 15 year old in that same period.
Hartcher faces eight counts of transmitting child abuse material and a further two of sending child abuse material to himself.
These crimes were allegedly committed from July to December 2024.
Mr Walsh previously represented wife killer Chris Dawson during his high-profile murder trial.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
