THE former president of the Muswellbrook youth centre who was accused of sexually assaulting three young boys over an eight-year period in the 1980s and 1990s has died, only two days before he was expected to face trial.
Roland George Powell, 79, died on Saturday ahead of an anticipated four-week trial in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court listed to start on Monday.
According to police, Powell was in a vehicle that was travelling at high speeds on Stoney Creek Road, Wauchope about 11.20am when it crashed into a large gum tree.
Powell was the only occupant of the vehicle, which burst into flames, and he died at the scene.
Powell had pleaded not guilty to 28 counts, including 19 counts of aggravated sexual intercourse of a child under authority, relating to three boys who he met through the youth centre between 1987 and 1995.
Powell was initially arrested in 2021 alongside co-accused Neville Knight, the former Muswellbrook youth centre director and youth worker.
The pair were accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a number of boys who attended the centre over more than a decade.
The youth centre, which was funded by the Department of Community Services, closed down in 1995.
Powell, who was living at Wauchope at the time of his arrest, was later released on bail but was arrested again in April this year and charged with 18 additional historical child sexual assault offences.
However, when the matters were last mentioned in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court earlier this month all but one charge was withdrawn.
Before his death, he had not entered a plea to a charge of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.
Powell, who recently changed legal representation and was now represented by barrister Chris Watson and solicitor Mark Ramsland, was on bail at the time of his death, but if convicted was looking at spending the rest of his life in jail.
Mr Knight has pleaded not guilty to a 63 charges, including multiple counts of aggravated sexual intercourse of a child under authority and his matter is listed later this week.
Police are preparing a report for the coroner in relation to Powell's death.
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