Former Dean of Newcastle Graeme Lawrence has been convicted over the aggravated sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy at his private home in 1991.

Key points: Lawrence was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault

Lawrence was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault The judge found the assault took place in Lawrence's private home

The judge found the assault took place in Lawrence's private home He dismissed Lawrence's claim that he had never met the complainant

In handing down his verdict today, District Court Judge Tim Gartelmann said he was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Lawrence took the teen into a room, forced him to the ground and had sexual intercourse without the boy's consent.

The assault took place after a youth band performance at Newcastle's Christchurch Cathedral.

Judge Gartelmann found Lawrence guilty of a total of two charges — one of the aggravated sexual assault and another of aggravated indecent assault.

Lawrence appeared composed and listened intently with little show of emotion as the judge handed down his verdict of guilty on all counts.

Judge Gartelmann said his assessment of the credibility of the key witnesses was significant in resolving factual issues.

He said Lawrence's denials that he had never met the complainant were not credible and in conflict with evidence from the complainant's mother and another witness, who recalled Lawrence calling out to the victim in the months after the attack.

The Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, Peter Stuart, apologised on behalf of the church.

"We've heard today in court the summary of a terrible set of events for a young man who was involved in a church activity and was indecently assaulted, and it has affected his life," he said.

"I haven't had a chance to express it to him personally, but I do apologise to him on behalf of the Anglican Church. He was entitled to be kept safe and he wasn't."

Lawrence was awarded an Order of Australia in 2004 and was made a freeman of the city by the City of Newcastle.

Church abuse survivor and advocate Steven Smith called for the honours to be reviewed.

"What I would like to do is call on the awards secretary from the Governor-General's department to review the award of the OAM to him," he said.

"He holds an Order of Australia medal which he was granted when he was an active sexual offender.

"I also call on the Lord Mayor of Newcastle to review the granting of the freeman of the city status to him. He is a paedophile, a convicted child sex offender — he does not deserve the honour."

Victim's evidence 'credible'

Newcastle's Anglican Church said it was committed to working with police to ensure justice was done. ( ABC News: Dan Cox )

His Honour criticised much of Lawrence's evidence as having "demonstrated an intent not to concede matters against his own interests at the expense of truthfulness".

He also dismissed the evidence of his partner, Gregory Goyette, as unreliable and lacking independence.

Judge Gartelmann said despite some proven inaccuracies from the complainant, he considered them reasonable, given the length of time that had elapsed, and concluded his credibility was not undermined.

He noted Lawrence's history of compliance and lack of a flight risk in his decision to grant him ongoing conditional bail until his sentencing.

Lawrence served as Dean of Newcastle's Anglican cathedral from 1984 until 2008 and was defrocked in 2012 in the wake of abuse allegations levelled at him.

In 2016 Lawrence gave evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, where he denied claims he was a leader of a group of child abusers.

He also denied claims he was involved in covering up instances of child sexual abuse in the diocese.

Lawrence will be sentenced in September.