A 75-year-old former teacher at Canberra Marist College has appeared in court accused of sexually abusing six students in the 1980s. John Chute, known as Brother Kostka, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, accused of abusing the students, aged between 13 and 15, at Marist College between 1981 and 1987.
He was charged with 18 counts of committing an indecent act with a child.
Magistrate Beth Campbell bailed Kostka to reappear in the same court on February 21, when he is expected to enter a plea.
Several conditions are attached to his bail including not approaching children under 16.
Kostka had been living at a Marist Brothers retirement farm in Mittagong, in the NSW southern highlands, but surrendered himself to ACT Police on Thursday.
As a condition of his bail, Kostka must live under the supervision of Brother Alexis Turton, who supported him in court.
"He has come here really to do some healing, that is about all I can say, that is my impression of it," Brother Alexis told reporters.
"Your heart goes out to people who have any complaint like this and we are committed to getting justice for everyone.
"We are fully committed to cooperating with the police."
Meanwhile, a lawyer acting on behalf of at least 15 former students of the school has urged any other complainants to come forward.
Lawyer and former NSW detective Jason Parkinson has issued Marist College with 15 civil notifications from 15 separate alleged victims relating to four teachers, including Paul John Lyons.
Lyons faced criminal charges relating to the alleged abuse of two boys but committed suicide in 2000.
"We will continue to make inquiries into child sexual abuse in Catholic schools in Canberra from the 70s, 80s and 90s," Mr Parkinson told reporters.
"Considering that Lyons was taking groups of boys to his Queanbeyan flat three times a week from 1988 to 1999 ... the numbers (of potential victims) are in the hundreds.
"We call on any victims of any child abuse in the Catholic Church to come forward."
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