By . Australian Associated Press . and Sarah Dean . The head of the Catholic Church's military diocese, Bishop Max Davis, has been charged with a child sex offence dating back to 1969. The alleged incident is believed to have taken place when Bishop Davis was teaching at St Benedict's College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth, West Australian police say. It is understood he is the first Australian bishop and the most senior Australian Church official to be charged with a child sex offence. Bishop Max Davis has been charged with a child sex offence dating back to 1969 . The 68-year-old was made the Bishop of the Australian Defence Force  in 2003, during a consecration Mass at Canberra's St Christopher's Cathedral on August 22. Bishop Davis was not an ordained priest when the incident is alleged to have occurred, and he 'emphatically denies' the charge. 'An allegation has been made to the police that in 1969 Bishop Max Davis abused a student at St. Benedict's College in New Norcia,' the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia said in a statement on Sunday night. He is reportedly the first Australian bishop and the most senior Australian Church official to be charged with a child sex offence . 'At that time - 45 years ago - the bishop was not ordained. The bishop emphatically denies the allegation and the charge will be defended.' The Townsville-born Bishop was ordained as a priest in 1971 at the age of 26, in Perth. Bishop Davis will stand aside while the matter is dealt with by the court. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Max Davis is the Bishop of the Australian Defence Force .
Most senior Australian Church official to be charged with child sex offence .
He was not ordained as a priest when incident is alleged to have occurred .
Alleged to have happened at St Benedict's College, northeast of Perth .
By . Australian Associated Press . and Sarah Dean . The head of the Catholic Church's military diocese, Bishop Max Davis, has been charged with a child sex offence dating back to 1969. The alleged incident is believed to have taken place when Bishop Davis was teaching at St Benedict's College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth, West Australian police say. It is understood he is the first Australian bishop and the most senior Australian Church official to be charged with a child sex offence. Bishop Max Davis has been charged with a child sex offence dating back to 1969 . The 68-year-old was made the Bishop of the Australian Defence Force  in 2003, during a consecration Mass at Canberra's St Christopher's Cathedral on August 22. Bishop Davis was not an ordained priest when the incident is alleged to have occurred, and he 'emphatically denies' the charge. 'An allegation has been made to the police that in 1969 Bishop Max Davis abused a student at St. Benedict's College in New Norcia,' the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia said in a statement on Sunday night. He is reportedly the first Australian bishop and the most senior Australian Church official to be charged with a child sex offence . 'At that time - 45 years ago - the bishop was not ordained. The bishop emphatically denies the allegation and the charge will be defended.' The Townsville-born Bishop was ordained as a priest in 1971 at the age of 26, in Perth. Bishop Davis will stand aside while the matter is dealt with by the court. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth, West Australian Church official to be charged with a child sex offence. Bishop Max Davis has been Australian Defence Force  in 2003, during a ordained priest when the incident is alleged to student at St. Benedict's College in New Norcia,' most senior Australian Church official to be Bishop was ordained as a priest in 1971 at the