Ex-mission employee pleads not guilty to rape

A former Roelands Mission employee charged with raping a seven-year-old girl more than 40 years ago has pleaded not guilty to a string of charges.

Albany man Philip Howard Street, 74, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court this morning where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and four counts of unlawful and indecent dealing with a child under 14 years old.

Mr Street was charged in February as part of a police investigation stemming from the Royal Commission into institutional child sex abuse.

Police allege Mr Street sexually assaulted a girl who was aged between seven and eight years old, while he was working at the Roelands Mission in 1974 and 1975.

The matters were adjourned for a trial listing in the Bunbury District Court on August 3.

Mr Street’s bail of $5000 plus conditions – which include him not being able to contact the victim and no unsupervised access to children under the age of 16 – were extended.