A former Anglican youth group member told Newcastle District Court that the man who claims he was sexually assaulted by former Newcastle Anglican Dean Graeme Lawrence in 1991 referred to the alleged incident during a conversation years later.
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"[the complainant] said he was at the Cathedral and was invited to a group gathering. He soon realised it was just himself. He said 'Lawrence got me'. I know he was talking about sexual assault," Joshua Wall said.
Mr Wall's brother Damien Wall told the court that he had spoken to the complainant in 2013.
"[the complainant] told me he was struggling with issues he had had with the church in the past. I wasn't sure of the nature of the issues," Mr Wall said.
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Mr Lawrence, then the second-most senior Anglican in the Newcastle diocese, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old boy in his house, known as the Deanery, next door to Christ Church Cathedral, in 1991.
He has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent and one of indecent assault.
The current Dean of Christ Church Cathedral Katherine Bowyer, who was not involved with the Cathedral at the time of the alleged offence, was asked to examine a copy of the Cathedral's diary from 1991.
Reverend Bowyer agreed with Crown Prosecutor Craig Leggat, SC, that the diary indicated that there was a youth service held on the evening of Saturday August 24, 1991.
She said it was her understanding that in 1991 the Dean was a senior member of the church's leadership group who would represent the Bishop when he was away.
Brett Tilse, whose business was engaged to carry out earthquake repairs to the Cathedral and the Deanery in mid-1991 was questioned about his recollections of Mr Lawrence during that time.
Mr Tilse said he saw Mr Lawrence about every second or third day, often walking across to the Cathedral.
He said Mr Lawrence would regularly inquire about the progress of the works and when they were due to be completed.
Former Newcastle Grammar School headmaster Allan Green, who was employed at the school between 1989 and 2014, told the court that he regularly went to the deanery to discuss matters relating to the school.
Mr Green told the court that a fence that currently stands between the Deanery and the Cathedral was slightly higher than one that was in place at the time of the alleged offence.
He agreed that the fence may have been removed while the Cathedral was being repaired in 1991.
The judge alone trial continues on Tuesday.
