A Catholic priest has appeared before Lismore District Court to face historic child sex abuse charges.

Warning: This story contains graphic details of sexual abuse.

John Patrick Casey has pleaded not guilty to three charges of sexual assault on a person under the age of 16.

The charges relate to an alleged incident that occurred in 1982 at Father Casey’s home in Mallanganee, Northern New South Wales.

Father Casey was parish priest in Mallanganee from 1981 to 1988.

In his opening statement, the lead prosecutor told the jury of seven women and five men that the case against the 76-year-old man would rely on photographs and church records, but mostly on the testimony of the complainant and a friend of the complainant’s. He was a teenager then.

She told the court that Father Casey took the children on day trips, on weekends and for sleepovers at his home, often allowing them to drink alcohol and smoke.

On one of these occasions, Father Casey allegedly served the complainant grilled lamb chops for dinner, gave him alcohol and lit a fire before proceeding to rub his shoulders.

The priest then allegedly gave the complainant an inappropriate massage, then penetrated the 14-year-old’s anus using his finger or thumb.

The court heard the complainant was afraid to spend the night at the priest’s house and never returned.

He never spoke to his friend about the alleged incident and did not contact the police until he was 52 years old.

Defense attorney Jason Watts told the jury his client denied any improper conduct.

Mr Watts told the jury he would argue the complainant and her friend were unreliable witnesses.

He said the jury must consider “the credibility of what someone says now about what happened to them as a teenager.”

The court was closed this afternoon after the complainant gave evidence, and Father Casey was sitting in the dock in the same courtroom.

It was learned that the case will continue until Friday.