But Brother William Peter Standen, 65, entered not guilty pleas in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday to 16 charges of indecent assault of a male

These matters have been adjourned to Sydney District Court on June 5 for committal and sentence.

Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman withdrew and dismissed six counts of indecent assault of a male at the defence’s request. Standen’s solicitor said her client was “not even in Australia” on the date of one of the alleged offences.

Standen will be sentenced on the charges to which he has pleaded guilty following the trial matters. His solicitor anticipated a lengthy trial of “five weeks at least.”

Standen, who taught at St Patrick’s College, was facing 32 charges of assaulting boys between 1978 and 1981. One of these, to which he has pleaded guilty, was only laid in the past week.

He was arrested in August, 2014, at Sydney Airport following his return from overseas where he had been working as a missionary. He was initially charged with 11 counts of indecently assaulting a male but the number grew as more complainants came forward to police.

Standen, who was in court on Wednesday, had his bail continued until his next court date.

He conferred briefly with solicitor Greg Walsh before leaving in a car with another person.