Notorious Australian paedophile Catholic priest rearrested on new charges hours after prison release

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Former Townsville priest Neville Creen has been re-arrested to face new indecent treatment charges just hours after being released from prison.

Creen sexually abused at least 20 children throughout the 1970s. He used the position of trust he had as a minister at the Good Shepherd parish in Mount Isa to conceal his crimes from police for more than 30 years.

He finally admitted to sexually touching 20 girls in 2003.

The 83-year-old paedophile priest given a three-month prison sentence in February relating to the indecent treatment and assault of a young girl dating back to 1969.

Creen was released from prison on Friday morning but was immediately re-arrested and charged on Friday afternoon with 16 counts of indecent treatment of a boy under 14.

This allegedly occurred in Townsville between 1966 and 1972

Creen has been held in the Richlands Watch House for most of Friday but will have his matter heard at the Brisbane Magistrates Arrests Court on Saturday.

When Creen was sentenced in May, the judge admitted for a man with a history of destructive offending it was likely more victims would come forward.