The Leader can reveal David Joseph Perrett is now accused of molesting or abusing more than 30 alleged victims, all children over a 30-year period.

Armidale detectives – working as part of Strike Force Bennett – laid 30 new charges this month, as the now 81-year-old fronts court on Wednesday. 

He now stands accused of 92 allegations upon children dating between 1960 and 1990. 

The new charges include five counts of aggravated sexual assault; two counts each of sexual assault of a child category four, carnal knowledge of a girl under 10, aggravated indecent assault; 14 allegations of indecent assault on a male, three counts of buggery and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. 

Perrett is due in Armidale Local Court on Wednesday where it’s expected the DPP will lodge a detention application, to have the ex-priest refused bail as the case continues.

The Leader revealed Perrett’s extradition from Queensland in May 2017 to front court charged with historical indecent assault offences against four young boys. 

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Since the extradition was made public, dozens more alleged victims have come forward to report alleged abuse by Perrett – who was a former catholic priest in the Armidale diocese. 

The investigation was launched by Armidale detectives in 2015 after a referral from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Assault, which culminated in last year’s extradition.

Perrett has not been required to enter pleas to the 62 charges already before the court, which was marked for committal on Wednesday.

According to those court documents, Perrett is accused of indecently assaulting more than a dozen boys in the Armidale, Lower Creek, Guyra, Walgett and Moree areas.

He has been on conditional bail since his extradition.

Police have confirmed investigations by Armidale detectives are continuing.