The Catholic Church says it has not and will not pay the bail for a Sydney priest suspended over a criminal charge of grooming a child for sex. Robert MacGregor Fuller, 54, is accused of using a webcam to show himself engaging in sexually explicit acts during online chat sessions with a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Fuller, a priest at All Saints church at Liverpool in Sydney's south-west for about six years, was arrested by members of the Child Exploitation Internet Unit on Thursday afternoon in the carpark of Parramatta pool, where it is alleged he planned to meet the teenage girl for sex.
He faced court on Friday charged with grooming and procuring a child under the age of 16.
"This is a clear abuse of a position of authority within the church, particularly as the defendant is in a position of having unvetted access to [children]," police prosecutor Sergeant Kai Peninkilampi told the court.
Father Terry Bell, acting in the position of bishop for the Western Sydney diocese, told the court Fuller worked hard and had a "very good reputation in the community".
He said he was "shocked" when he heard the allegations and offered $25,000 as bail and accommodation at a church-owned property at Terrigal in support of Fuller's bid to be released on bail.
Labelling the charges as "serious", Magistrate Peter Miszalski granted Fuller bail, requiring that he report to police three times a week, surrender his passport, not use the internet and not be in proximity to children or attend places such as schools, cinemas and sports grounds.
The Archdiocese of Sydney has released a statement saying its policy is priests accused of any criminal offence are "responsible for their own legal costs".
"The Archdiocese does not contribute to these costs or provide sureties for bail, and Father Fuller's case is no exception," the statement said.
"The Archdiocese of Sydney was not a party to the proceedings at the Parramatta Local Court today, did not have legal representatives in attendance, and has not seen a copy of Father Fuller's bail conditions."
It earlier said Fuller was "immediately stood down from his ministry" and would remain so pending the outcome of the court proceedings.
Fuller is due to appear in the same court on October 8.
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