Mr Hall, 66, was charged on Tuesday by Wagga police and granted bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court in August.

He has been charged with nine counts of assault and act of indecency and five counts of indecent assault against a person under authority and over the age of 16.

Some of the offences are alleged to have occurred while Mr Hall was a teacher at St Pius where he worked from 1973 to 1983.

In a statement by Mr Hall tendered at the trial of former St Pius teacher and child sex offender Catholic priest, John Denham, he said he had worked with about 25 priests during his decade at the school.

Mr Hall, a former army sergeant, described St Pius as “a very disciplined school”.

“Lay teachers and priests used the cane to discipline the boys,” he told police in his statement.

“During my time at St Pius I did not hear, see or learn of any misbehaviour by any priest against a school student.”