A New South Wales court has heard a former well-known mayor, Order of Australia recipient and homelessness advocate used his "clear power" over vulnerable boys to sexually assault them in the 1970s and '80s.
Former Central Coast mayor Laurence "Laurie" Maher, 84, is on trial in the Sydney District Court for the alleged sexual abuse of four boys while he was superintendent of the Mount Penang Training School, a juvenile justice facility, near Gosford.
He has pleaded not guilty to eight charges including several counts of buggery, sexual assault and indecent assault.
Over the three-week trial, the four alleged victims described various accounts of abuse involving oral and anal sex that took place at various "isolated" locations at the facility.
In summing up the Crown's case in the District Court on Tuesday, prosecutor Mark Hay said Mr Maher chose the most vulnerable boys and used his "clear power" as superintendent to either threaten or reward them.
Mr Hay described the four alleged victims as "troubled youths" who "did not fit into the mould and went on to lives of trouble".
He later argued all four were at Penang, all at different times and all "had troubled experiences" with the superintendent.
In referring to the former mayor's extensive community and charitable works in later years, the Crown did not dispute his contributions.
"But sometimes good people do bad things," Mr Hay said.
Maher strongly denies abuse
Under earlier cross-examination, Mr Maher strongly denied the specific occasions of abuse against the four boys.
"No" was his repeated response.
Mr Maher's defence barrister Paul Rosser reiterated that point to the jury in his closing address.
Mr Rosser described all the allegations as "made up and untrue".
"You see what they are, you see how they speak," he said.
"They are liars. Make no bones about it."
He questioned the timing of some of the claims and pointed out inconsistencies in some of the boys' evidence.
A public figure
Mr Maher went on to become one of the most high-profile community leaders in the region.
He was first elected as an independent to Gosford City Council in 2004 and served four terms as mayor from 2007 until his retirement in 2014.
In later years, Mr Maher's focus was the homelessness charity he founded in the early 1990s known as Coast Shelter, based in Gosford.
He was its chief executive until 2018 and the organisation has grown to become the biggest specialist homelessness service in NSW.
The octogenarian received numerous accolades, including a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2010 for his service to the community through welfare and local government organisations.
The jury is expected to begin its deliberations on Wednesday.
