A prominent Buddhist monk, Venerable Naotunne Vijitha Nayaka Thero, has appeared in a Melbourne court, facing charges related to child sex offenses spanning the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The abbot of Melbourne's Dhamma Sarana temple in the south-east of the city is confronting 13 charges, which include allegations of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and engaging in indecent acts with a child under 16. These charges were filed by the police earlier this week, prompted by complaints from three individuals.

The reported incidents occurred between 1996 and 2004, with authorities claiming that Vijitha Thera established contact with the complainants through his role at the Keysborough temple. Details from court documents suggest that detectives from Victoria Police's sexual crimes squad have accused Vijitha Thera of inappropriate conduct towards multiple girls.

In a recent court appearance, the monk, clad in traditional orange robes, attended a brief filing hearing. During this proceeding, he did not speak or enter a plea, accompanied by senior figures from the temple. Vijitha Thera was granted bail, and the case's next hearing is scheduled for November 10 for a committal mention.

According to information on the temple's website, Vijitha Thera arrived in Australia in 1993 to serve as the resident monk at the Sri Lankan Buddhist temple in Springvale. He subsequently relocated to a new temple in Keysborough in 2001. Additionally, the temple's website notes that Vijitha Thera serves as the principal of its Sunday School, where students attend Sinhala language classes.